Pembroke: Sleaze buried on the waterfront

STRANGE goings-on in Yorkshire where Leeds Development Corporation has buried a time capsule underneath a redeveloped stretch of waterfront.

The idea of these capsules is to give whoever opens them in decades hence an idea of what life was like. Consequently newspapers and the like are usually included. Not this time. The box of goodies buried on Friday included nothing more than a Cindy Crawford fitness video, a Leeds United scarf and a letter from the City Council.

Cynics are saying that local dignatories were too embarrassed to include the day's papers, which were filled with the Government's cash-for-questions row. The thinking is that they didn't want to upset local minister David Curry, who was officiating at the ceremony.

DAVID Potter, the chain- smoking chief executive of Guinness Mahon, the merchant bank, knows a short-cut to increased sales when he sees one. Keen to beef up his private banking business, he has appointed a non-executive director whose Filofax is a directory of the wealthy and influential. Step forward Giles Shepard, until recently managing director at the Savoy.

Regular Savoy guests can now expect copious junk mail from Guinness Mahon inviting them to open accounts.

CAMELOT, the company that couldn't find a presenter to host the National Lottery prize draws, has found something much more important to occupy its time - its new logo. The design shows a daubing of a blue hand, with fingers crossed and a smile etched into the palm. But although the logo is bad enough, the restrictions governing its use are even more risible.

Stroppy Camelot says that anyone who misuses the blue mitt, or prints it without permission, will be jumped upon by the company's logo police. In extremis, legal action is threatened. 'Notwithtanding all the above, I would finally like to reiterate the fact that it is also Camelot's job to promote the National Lottery,' a spokesman says.

PUBLIC companies usually make an effort to entertain shareholders at their annual meetings, but Shepherd Neame, the Kent brewer, is doing more than most on Friday. In addition to lunch (pea and ham soup, coq au vin, Kentish cheeses), dividend cheques will be distributed during the nosh and a presentation box of three beers or a bottle of cherry brandy donated on departure. Not surprisingly, numbers are expected to be 10 per cent up on last year.

ANTONY Robbins, the American self-improvement guru with the Dynasty good looks, was holding fort yesterday at the start of his week-long UK tour.

Among the (mostly female) audience at the plush Regent Hotel, one cynic asked whether his gung-ho 'heal thyself' seminars were not a load of baloney. Fidgeting in his expensive if boxy grey check suit, he said: 'I can't help everybody. My style isn't right for everyone. Maybe you would be better off with someone else, like . . . like Anita Roddick, maybe.'