09-DEC-1992 15:55
BRITISH TRADE COMM
From S. P. Day CMG Senior British Trade Commissioner
HKD 406/1
P.01
British Trade Commission Hong Kong
9 December 1992
199
9/2
BY FAX
J Morris Esq
Hong Kong Department, FCO
Fax No:
Cover for
1
WH
9/12
Mr whom
Musell
Mr Morris.
suggest we diser is with
Mr Bertram tomorrow.
As I explained on the telephone, I was asked yesterday evening by Mr Webb-Peploe whether I had received a response from London about the flat. As you know business is done briskly in Hong Kong. He pointed out that he was holding back two people who wished to move in: he would be going to London on 17/12 and wished to know well before then whether or not we were interested.
You mentioned that OED had expressed doubts about the 15-20 minutes driving to Central. I quote those who live there: the road distance is 9kms. Robert Thursfield, Deputy head of the Procurement Section lives in the same development. He says he commutes to his office in 20 mins he thought the time to Central would be rather less. Mike Breen lives nearby. They both find the location excellent.
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Repulse Bay is firmly in the socialising zone. I went to this block for my first dinner party in Hong Kong: it is where the head of Inchcape lives, one of our top UK companies (and he is President of the Chamber of Commerce) and Mr Webb-Peploe, on the basis of some 10 years in Hong Kong regards it as ideal for home life and official entertaining. My wife is at a lunch for the Consular Corps wives there today. It is where some of my predecessors lived, up to and including Derek March.
The location is better for entertaining than the Albany flat, which is near down-town offices but not so near the main up-market homes. Moreover the Albany has only 16 guest parking spaces for the entire block (several of which are always occupied by staff and contractors) - the Repulse Bay has 200 guest parking spaces and is superbly equipped for visitors.
./... 2.