Beware Greeks bearing gifts

Last night it was the turn of the Greeks, who held a fundraising dinner in one of England's most beautiful buildings, Bridgewater House, just off St James's Street. Although the Lots were attractive - the chance to stay in a villa on a Greek island, or a hotel in Athens, for example, the problem is that nowadays none of the airlines (understandably) are giving away free flights, even for charity. So if you have to get yourself there and back, these Lots become not quite so attractive. The second problem was that most of the special items were for holidays or hotels in Greece, and I had a feeling that 90% of the audience had been there, done that, and I would have been far better off auctioning these Lots in Surbiton rather than at a Greek national dinner. Nevertheless, £34,000 was added to the charity's coffers, and should help with their work.

One reads a lot about the Italians and the French when it comes to style, but I have to tell you that the Greeks are up there with them. It was almost like Back to the Future, and what grand balls must have been like in the 1930s, when elegance and style were commonplace at such events. At the end of the evening when Chris and I walked out of the building we passed a young couple on the pavement. The girl had a big hole in her black tights and was wearing Ugg boots - still, this is 2009, but I find it hard to believe that in 50 years time, people will look upon that as elegant.