RAC Clarifies Corporate Identity: Not a Roadside Assistance Firm
The Capitalist was taken aback this week when a spokesperson from the RAC, represented by PR firm Brunswick, contacted City AM to correct a recent story. The spokesperson firmly stated that the RAC is not, in fact, a roadside assistance company. This revelation came as a surprise, given The Capitalist's personal experience with a car breakdown that involved a van clearly marked with the letters 'R', 'A', and 'C' arriving to offer help.
According to the spokesperson, the RAC is officially a "driving services firm," with roadside assistance being merely one of its many "verticals." This news prompted The Capitalist to reflect humorously on other potential misclassifications in the business world. For instance, Wetherspoons might be reimagined as a decentralised community hydration network, Greggs as an artisanal ambient pastry experience hub, and Lovehoney as a human sensory optimisation solutions provider. It seems corporate identities are more fluid than ever.
Victorian-Themed Games Invade the Square Mile
In other business news, Charlie Gilkes, a former Eton College friend of Prince Harry, is introducing a new wave of competitive socialising to London's financial district. His establishment, Mr Fogg's City Tavern in Broadgate Circle near Liverpool Street, is launching a set of Victorian-inspired games. These include adaptations of darts, bagatelle, mini golf, and beer pong, all designed to be analogue experiences with scorekeeping on chalkboards.
Gilkes emphasised the deliberate simplicity of the approach, aligning with the Victorian branding. This trend is part of a broader explosion in competitive socialising across the capital, where traditional activities like darts and shuffleboard are being replaced by contemporary bowls clubs and refreshed arcade games. It's now common to see business professionals, after a Thirsty Thursday outing, carrying powder pink Fairgame teddy bears around St Paul's as trophies of team success.
Swan Nest Controversy in Canary Wharf
Global trade advocate and Square Mile entrepreneur Farah London is leading protests against the removal of a swan's nest in South Dock, Canary Wharf. She argues that nesting is currently underway and that disturbing it would be harmful. In a strategic move to amplify her message, London included His Majesty the King in her press release distribution, leveraging his potential influence to draw wider attention. The Canal & River Trust, reportedly responsible for the nest removal, has not yet responded to inquiries.
Internal Strife Within the Reform Party
Meanwhile, infighting has erupted within the Reform Party, pitting an established member against a recent Tory convert. Reform candidate Matt Goodwin publicly criticised former Tory activist Tim Montgomerie, now a Reform supporter, on social media platform X. Goodwin took issue with Montgomerie's call for an investigation into Goodwin's book, which has faced allegations of AI-assisted writing.
Goodwin accused Montgomerie of consistently criticising Reform and its campaigns, questioning his motives for being in the party. "What Reform should do is stop taking Tory wets like you," Goodwin wrote, adding, "I have no idea why you are even in Reform unless it is to try and weaken it?" This exchange highlights the tensions as the party navigates its identity and membership.
