Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
You don’t know me; I know you,
I know what’s being said about you.
I’m the ‘whisperer’. I am socially mobile:
Arab, Brit, Indian, Pakistani, American and the rest,
they all invite me and share their world with me.
Not much gets past me but if you think it may
have done, email me on . . .
Playing away
Businessmen are obviously nervous about investing their money in three-star hotels in Bahrain as the spectre of an alcohol ban ominously looms.
However, our sister paper, Akhbar Al Khaleej, has revealed that a Bahraini hotelier is reportedly on the verge of buying a three-star hotel in Dubai. The deal, thought to cost BD10-million, is in its final stages.
The Bahraini investor will pay an initial 10 per cent while a leading UAE bank has agreed to finance the remaining part on very flexible terms.
The hotel includes three dance floors, a pool, a gym and a sauna. It ranks among the “most active” hotels in Dubai as it is licensed to operate around the clock.
The same investor is also believed to be negotiating a bigger venture to purchase a five-star hotel in Dubai’s Djebel Ali region. The investment project would top an estimated BD35-million.
Totally stubbed
SMOKERS who thought they had escaped the UK smoking ban could find things are changing in the kingdom. Following a non-smoking trial period in the Dilmun Club’s Bistro Restaurant, the committee has received “positive feedback” from many members who have used this eating establishment. Therefore, it has been decided that the popular restaurant will remain non-smoking. Smokers have fumed: “Where next?”
Book case
A fan of author Ian Rankin has sold the complete series of Rebus thrillers to a guest at his Bahrain house-moving party.
The canny Scot still managed to hold on to the latest novel which he had not quite finished reading.
The detective series has been running annually for 20 years. It was drawing to a close because of the fictional character’s “real time” age but may now continue after a Scottish MP urged parliament to extend the careers of detective inspectors to ensure the imaginary character continues with his escapades.
Rankin, it is believed, has received hate mail from senior officers who were coming up to retirement.
The sky’s the limit
The police have found it so difficult to spot the mobile users in their vehicles that they are purchasing eight brand new stealth helicopters to spy from the sky. Watch out! You have been warned! A by-product of this eye-in-the-sky technology is that any would-be civil unrest types will be seen too ... what do you mean, that's why they're buying them?
There’s nothing like a Dame!
Queenie lookalike Elizabeth Richard bestowed a make-believe titled honour on Barbie Williams for her sterling work as a committee member of The Royal Society of St George in a moving moment at last week’s red & white ball. It was all a bit of fun but Whisperer could not help but observe senior members of the real HRH party clapping enthusiastically … maybe your card has been marked Maam!
