John Gibson: H&I still good for the street, by George!

Published on Tuesday 8 December 2009 08:29

HAPPY to have Hamilton & Inches on George Street. Bit of class. Bit of stability. I mean, once Gray's has gone early new year, who else will fly the flag in terms of what the street represented before the Capital lost a lot of its self-respect?

Managing director Jamie Fraser must be finding it difficult to contain his optimism in these testing times. "Gold prices are rising, sterling has weakened," he's telling customers, "and we can expect an increase in VAT after Christmas. These factors, plus a shortage of quality gemstones, have put upward pressure on pricing, which we've successfully resisted where possible. Despite that backdrop, our year is going well."

And he's asking of me: "What will you be getting up to on Christmas morning?" Nothing exciting, I'm afraid. There was a time, mind you.

But this past year or two the clock on the wall's been saying, John, son, that's all.

Winner & losers

I s'pose I'm having one of my gloom-and-doom moments, although life can't be that bad while I still find an apple, an orange and, if I'm lucky, a Mars Bar at the bottom of my stocking.

Don't buy him socks, by the way. Buy him a hip flask. H&I do a nice 8oz square one at 395. Oh, and ladies, if his snoring keeps you awake, keep a traditional nutcracker (630) by the bed. That'll teach him.

Sobering thought for Christmas, propounded by Michael Winner: "What is really sad is that so many people can't face reality, can't make conversation, can't enjoy what is laughingly known as social intercourse, without being over-fortified by alcohol."

Afterwords . .

. . . Tracey Emin of unmade bed notoriety, flying the flag in New York: "I am patriotic, I love Britain, I work hard at representing Britain and the Britishness of things." Calm down, your OBE's in the post.