Pembroke: Bauer turns his nose up at the Savoy

Willy Bauer, the chief executive of Wentworth golf club who once declined an offer to run the swanky Beverly Wilshire hotel in Los Angeles, has turned down one job and accepted another.

Thumbs down to the Savoy Group, which had approached him to become chief executive. But thumbs up to Mosimann's, Anton Mosimann's upmarket restaurant company, where Mr Bauer has accepted a seat on the board. 'I had an approach from the Savoy but I stated clearly that I wanted to know who was going to be chairman. There has been no progress there, so it's not going to happen.'

The Mosimann's decision was easier as the two are long- term pals. 'We always wanted to work together, even when he was at the Dorchester. I admire him enormously.'

Norman Lamont, the man with more jobs than a labour exchange noticeboard, has landed himself another. He will take up position as correspondent for Channel Four News tonight. In his report, the former chancellor will make his case for an independent Bank of England and interview Nigel Lawson and Karl Otto Pohl, the former president of the Bundesbank.

Mr Lamont will also be on hand at ITN for next Tuesday's Budget, when he will be providing expert analysis. There is no hint so far as to whether Mr Lamont's reporting post will be made permanent.

The Small Business Bureau is most unhappy with Companies House, the DTI agency where limited liability companies must file their accounts. The bureau, which wants small businesses relieved of the chore, says fines for late filing are disproportionately heavy for smaller firms. And, the bureau says, Companies House spends too much on advertising.

Last year it spent pounds 232,744, the bulk of which went on a late filing campaign with the slogan 'Other companies may soon lose confidence in yours if your records aren't up to date'.

Suitably chastened, Companies House has cut its spend next year to pounds 86,000.

Mothercare, the children's retailer that no longer goes up to 10, has scooped up the title of Mother and Baby Retailer of the Year. The award, presented by Mother and Baby magazine, was made at the Dorchester in London. Mothercare's chief executive, Ann Iverson, credited better focus as one reason for the improvement in the company's fortunes. Mothercare now only goes up to eight.

Colette Bowe, the civil servant who famously resigned from the Department of Trade and Industry over the Westland affair, continues her upward rise. The economics double first is moving from the Securities and Investments Board to become chief executive of the Personal Investment Board, the retail investment business regulator. She joins in January on a salary thought to be around pounds 150,000. 'You might think that. I couldn't possibly comment,' was the gist of her reply.

London's restaurants are the best in the world. Or so says the environment secretary John Gummer, who has been waxing lyrical about the variety on offer from the capital's 11,000 restaurants. Mr Gummer is well placed to make such remarks. It was he who, along with his children, chomped his way through a beefburger a few years ago to quell fears over Mad Cow Disease.

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