What A Doughnut

‘SCHOOLED in EastEnders English, most of would rather not be called a ”doughnut”.

More of a Polo than a doughnut

But the Guardian says it’s the word on everyone’s lips ”in the land of spies”.

Famous for leaving briefcases full of documents at Paddington Station, doughnut might be an apt description for a member of our intelligence service personnel.

But it is the building rather than the person that has a hole in the centre. The Doughnut is the new multi-million pound headquarters of GCHQ, the Government’s electronic eavesdropping centre.

And being the secret institution that it is, the Guardian was invited to tour the premises before it is ”sealed” off to outsiders later this month.

And what a fine construction – acres of steel and glass, enclosing a large open space, ”the size of 17 football pitches”.

Workers within will be invited to kick ideas around, if not footballs, sharing a ”common desktop” and an open plan space ”designed to make staff talk to their colleagues”.

Which will mean that the chatter picked up by the men and women in shiny suits will entirely be of their own making.

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Posted: 10th, June 2003 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink