The dastardly Mr Deedes
De Beers is to redevelop its historic headquarters in the City, after owners Anglo American cancelled plans to sell the fortress-like property. Ex-chairman Nicky Oppenheimer will be most relieved. When the grey-whiskered old Harrovian, 72, sold the family stake in De Beers for £4bn in 2012, he kept his access to the building’s helipad. Interesting fact: Oppenheimer’s the only person allowed to fly a private chopper within the Square Mile. Offcut from BT’s annual general meeting yesterday: flashy BT boss Gavin Patterson: ‘I read and respond to every email personally.’ Angry shareholder: ‘I find this comment quite amusing. I wrote to him with a complaint on February 10. It went down five levels of management before I got someone prepared to even look at the question. And it still hasn’t been resolved.’ Gav: ‘Er, February was a particularly busy time…’ What a hoot Mike Ashley’s High Court tussle with investment banker Jeffrey Blue has been. Not least for presiding Judge, Sir George leggatt. After hearing yesterday’s closing arguments, the courtly old Etonian flashed a wolfish grin at the court before intoning: ‘This has been a lot more interesting than some other cases.’ My man in the gallery reports Sir George, 59, struggled to keep a straight face while Ashley’s boorish drinking habits were laid bare before the court. Barclays boss Jes Staley visited the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate this week to announce more funding for British agriculture. The sturdy Bostonian, 60, gingerly sampled a pint of Yorkshirebrewed beer before posing with a prized bullock. Barclays like to get their money’s worth out of £8m-a-year Jes, don’t they? When not delivering well-remunerated speeches to the City, what’s David Cameron doing with his time? A mole spotted him yesterday breakfasting at Ace Cafe, a greasy spoon on london’s North Circular road where leather- clad bikers famously congregate. Well known in gay circles too, I’m told, since it was the setting for cult 1964 film, The leather Boys. Hardly sounds Dave’s natural milieu, but apparently the food’s not bad.