The Square Mile sets sail for the Isle of Wight
GLORIOUS Goodwood, Royal Ascot, Wimbledon and Henley Royal Regatta have all been and gone, so it was off to the Isle of Wight yesterday, for the last of the City summer sporting jollies.
Aberdeen Asset Management’s Cowes Week means days of sailing and schmoozing down in the small town of Cowes, with the highlight of the week’s social calendar in last night’s City by the Sea party.
While Martin Gilbert, head of hosts Aberdeen, dashed back to the mainland before the party began, other Square Mile sailors from the likes of Investec, Skandia, Henderson, Zurich, Charles Stanley, Neptune, M&G and Threadneedle were toasting to a hard day of motoring – it not being windy enough to sail – by the waterfront.
Centrica boss Sam Laidlaw has been spotted on a yacht named Clarionet, though Cowes regular and Carphone Warehouse founder Charles Dunstone was notably absent.
The Cowes crew with stamina were treated to a late-night pop-up of old King’s Road club Crazy Larry’s, which was revived on the isle for the week-long regatta.
Today the Big Boat series continues and tomorrow will see the coveted Ladies’ Day Trophy handed out. Finally on Friday a hard week of sailing – and the consumption of 50,000 glasses of champagne – will be rounded off with an aerial display from daredevil stuntmen the Red Arrows. Now that ought to really put some wind in spectators’ sails.