Greece, my Motherland, is close to anarchy and social collapse. The Greek people – the poorer classes that is - are close to despair. Meanwhile, the rich have been quietly shipping their cash reserves out of the country… an estimated 85 billion euros over the past few months. Much of this wealth is landing in London. Estate agents in Knightsbridge, [...]
Archive for the ‘Politics’ Category
Brussels fiddles while Athens burns.
Posted in Politics, Society, Uncategorized, tagged Brussels, European Union, Eurozone crisis, Greece, My Archipelago, The Castle at Taunton on February 15, 2012 | 2 Comments »
Liam Fox, then Oliver Letwin… Educated and clever. But devoid of common sense!
Posted in Politics, Uncategorized, tagged Adam Werritty, Chris Mullin, Clare Short, David Cameron, Douglas Hurd, John Gummer, Liam Fox, Martin Bell, Martin Randall Travel, Michael Meacher, My Archipelago, Oliver Letwin, The Castle at Taunton on October 15, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
I have no interest in the relationship between Liam Fox, our ex-Defence Secretary, and his friend Adam Werritty. Indeed, I was an admirer of Dr Fox. But it beggars belief that he should feel free to engage Mr Werritty as an unofficial advisor and, in doing so, not compromise his credibility as a senior minister. The case of [...]
An urgent call to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to slash VAT
Posted in Hotels & Restaurants, Politics, Uncategorized, tagged Chancellor of the Exchequer, Hospitality Industry, Labour Party conference in Liverpool, My Archipelago, National Insurance, PAYE, Prime Minister, The Castle at Taunton, Value Added Tax on September 24, 2011 | 4 Comments »
Dear Chancellor, I am the proprietor of The Castle at Taunton, a 44-bedroom hotel and restaurant which has been run by my family for over 60 years. Go to www.the-castle-hotel.com You may be aware that my industry has mounted a united, rational and carefully presented campaign appealing for a reduction in the rate of VAT levied against the hospitality [...]
“Bring back the Drachma and be happy!” A Greek taxi driver’s answer to the Eurozone crisis.
Posted in Politics, Uncategorized, tagged "United States of Europe", Angela Merkel, Euro crisis, Eurozone, Eurozone crisis, Greece, Greek Drachma, IMF, International Monetary Fund, Silvio Berlusconi, The Drachma on September 8, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Like rabbits caught in the beam of a headlight, we are all numbed by the turmoil of financial markets and the deepening crisis inside the Eurozone. We all nurse an uncomfortable sense of fear, unsure of what the threat to our livelihoods is likely to be. Worse, our leaders are as dazzled and confused as the [...]
The British Hospitality Association’s Ufi Ibrahim is making the difference.
Posted in Hotels & Restaurants, Politics, Uncategorized, tagged British Hospitality Association, Caterer and Hotelkeeper, Employment Law, My Archipelago, Prime Minister David Cameron, The Castle at Taunton, Ufi Ibrahim, Value Added Tax on August 13, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
In this week’s Caterer and Hotelkeeper, my industry’s leading trade magazine, Ufi Ibrahim, the British Hospitality Association’s chief executive, delivers a powerful open letter to the Prime Minister. It amounts to a coherent and well argued indictment of the government’s failure to stimulate growth in UK tourism in spite of the many brave words of support spoken [...]
Hugh’s Fish Fight: A parable of good in a wicked world.
Posted in Politics, Society, The Environment, Uncategorized, tagged EU Commissioner for Fisheries, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Hugh's Fish Fight, Maria Damanaki, My Archipelago, River Cottage, The Castle at Taunton on August 9, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
There are moments when I feel the world is confronting some kind of Armageddon. The pillars of our society appear to be crumbling. Everything we have grown up to trust is now turning out to be false or fractured. The meek and law abiding citizen has become an innocent victim of events. As world stock markets plunge, [...]
Letter from the Archipelago: Hubris is a Greek word
Posted in Politics, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged Aegean Islands, Athens, EU, George Papandreou, Greek debt crisis, IMF, My Archipelago, Skiathos Greece, The Castle at Taunton on June 29, 2011 | 2 Comments »
For all its peace and beauty, Skiathos is not entirely immune to the turbulence we are witnessing on the streets of Athens. The country is now gripped by a two-day general strike. Banks and public offices have shut down. Power cuts have become a tool of union action against the government’s austerity measures. Mr Papandreou and his ministers [...]
Letter from the Archipelago: Politics, ouzo and a souvlaki with horta!
Posted in Hotels & Restaurants, Politics, Uncategorized, tagged Athens parliament, George Papandreou, Greek government, Horta, Mount Athos, Moussaka, My Archipelago, Ouzo, Ouzo Plomari, Plomari Lesbos, Shrimp Saganaki, Skiathos, Souvlaki, Stuffed tomatoes & peppers, Taverna Kanapitsa Skiathos, Taverna Stathis Skiathos, The Castle at Taunton on June 16, 2011 | 2 Comments »
These are dark days for Greece. Commentators are beginning to wonder if the country is ungovernable as an embattled George Papandreou faces riots on the streets of Athens, general strikes and a parliament in disarray over the IMF/EU rescue plan. The Prime Minister’s attempt to form a government of national unity has failed. So he is now calling for [...]
A call to the British Hospitality Association
Posted in Hotels & Restaurants, Politics, Uncategorized, tagged Bob Cotton, British Hospitality Association, Caterer & Hotelkeeper, David Cameron, My Archipelago, The Castle at Taunton, Ufi Ibrahim, UK employment law on February 14, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Last Friday (11th February), our sainted trade organ, Caterer & Hotelkeeper, published a piece by my old pal Bob Cotton – elder statesman and wise owl of the industry. Bob’s was a familiar appeal to government to cut the talk and start introducing practical measures to support Britain’s tourism economy. No one can disagree with the thrust [...]
Hospitality, Hospitals and a weekend break with the NHS
Posted in Hotels & Restaurants, Politics, Society, Uncategorized, tagged Cardiac Catheter Lab Taunton, Cardiac Catheterisation, Dr Dan McKenzie, Dr David Beacock, Dr Tom MacConnell, Musgrove Park Hospital Taunton, My Archipelago, National Health Service, The Castle at Taunton on November 3, 2010 | 4 Comments »
In my bay, behind the drawn curtain, I heard the rich sing-song tone of an African accent advancing. As she progressed down the length of the ward, she paused by each bed, pronouncing the same words of introduction to each patient. Eventually, she arrived with me and gently drew the curtain aside. “Hello! My name is [...]
