I Spent Some Time At Ofcom Yesterday…

Lots of change since I last went to Riverside House in the summer of 2003. At that point there were only a handful of people on one floor with builders occupying the rest. Now, it�s a hive of activity and occupied from top to bottom.

Very impressed with how the building has been decked out � reception, caf�, open plan � it all looks bright, vibrant and modern. And the views are fantastic once you get up onto the higher floors.

Ofcom were keen to stress that they got the lease for a steal - �24 per sq foot � and that the interior was generally prefabricated and inexpensive. Still it�s easy to counter and say that the building is very spacious.

But I think they are being oversensitive about the criticisms levelled on costs. It�s a �44 billion sector with a �145 million a year regulator � so �good� regulation should easily net them a ‘profit’.

And no stakeholder is going to begrudge going over to Riverside House for meetings. You can put money on them having been upset if they had had to travel down to potential alternative location - Croydon.

Saw lots of the key folks � most ensconced in meetings held in fish-tank like glass walled rooms. Also met a few. Most notable was Ed Richards, who was getting ready to watch the Hutton statement.

The senior folks have glass walled �offices� at the far ends of the open plan. And I have to say from outside these offices it was a little like watching reruns of the David Blaine challenge!