Dateline Monday 27th April 2026

Happy sunshiny SPRING Monday morning I hope you are fit and well and that you had a terrific weekend. First let’s discuss the weather, in the sunshine yummm very nice when the sun is behind the clouds and the wind is blowing it’s a bit chilly but there is warmth in the Spring Sunshine. Who said “April showers?” so far April has been a totally bone-dry month, what is going on besides climate change? Although having said that with the clear skies and no cloud cover it has been rather cold in the early morning and late evening. There is an old English and Scottish proverb “Ne’er cast a clout till May be oot” it  is an advising not to remove your winter clothing until the end of May or until the hawthorn blossoms appear. I totally agree with that, it takes a lot for me to say “phew its hot today” not for a few months yet.

What did we miss?

On 22^nd April it was Earth Day, the annual event designed to raise awareness about environmental protection and promote actions to safeguard the planet. 23^rd April was St George’s Day. According to my local wine warehouse last Tuesday was Malbec World Day, according to David Marks every day is Malbec Day Swiss Cottage yaaayyyyyy I first discovered or perhaps a better description would be I was introduced to Malbec on a site inspection trip to Argentia with my amazing DMC led by a terrific guy Billy Dolan, I landed in Buenos Ariers and within a day I said to Billy “I could easily live here”. Just so you know Malbec has  its’ French roots in Bordeaux but is now best known in Mendoza, Argentina.

The tube strike in London bought the city to a grinding halt, traffic was a disaster, the world and his wife were on the roads, on bikes, scooters, cars, roller blades and skates the battle to get on the bus was everywhere, I had a thing to attend at 7PM in Knightsbridge on Thursday evening what should have taken me 30 minutes on the tube took an hour and quarter but I was determined to get there and I did, getting home was much easier and less of a challenge.

What again, another attempt on President Trump’s life from a home-grown USA based perpetrator, being a Head of State in Iran or America seems to be a very precarious job to say the least.

So the peace talks between Iran and the USA are on hold however the ceasefire is holding so that’s good news not so in the case of Israel and Lebanon or to be more accurate Hezbollah, Lebanon wants peace, Israel wants peace in fact they are finally getting round the table talking to each other that is good news, I wonder if Lebanon and Israel can trust each other enough to join forces to oust Hezbollah from Lebanon. Let’s hope so.     

Sadly, the war in Ukraine is still going on it has slipped off the headlines, but Prick Putin is still at it and there seems no end in sight. Putin thought the war with Ukraine would be over in a matter of a few days he was wrong, Trump thought the Iran war would be over in a matter of days he was wrong too.

CONGRATULATIONS

CONGRATULATIONS to Tottenham they secured a vital victory beating Wolves 0 -1 Spurs, Spurs have had a dreadful season, but they may just stay in the Premiership

CONGRATULATIONS to COVENTRY they won THE CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY and will enjoy Premiership football next season

CONGRATULATIONS to Arsenal who won their game against Newcastle United to say in touch of winning the Premiership

Finally, CONGRATULATIONS to everyone that took part in the London Marathon on Sunday

And that’s the view from my MM and Company desk for this week

MM and Company news update

Prague

Daniel and the team at ITC DMC Prague have told us that Kempinski Hotels announced the acquisition of Augustine Hotel, Prague, one of the city’s most historic and prestigious addresses.

Located in historic Malá Strana (Lesser Town) beneath Prague Castle, Augustine Hotel, Prague stands within the walls of the Augustinian Monastery of St. Thomas, a historical site dating back more than 800 years and remains a living, working community of Augustinian monks that preserve a daily routine of worship, work, and study.

Augustine Hotel, Prague has 101 guest rooms including 20 suites, many of which feature original vaulted ceilings and wooden beams, retaining the authentic structure of the monks’ former living quarters; speciality restaurants including two distinct bar concepts including The Refectory Bar, previously the monastery’s former dining hall; a spa and fitness centre; The Monastic Library, a library hall housing a collection that spans centuries of theological and scientific thought; over 400 sqm of meeting space; and more than 650 sqm of outdoor terraces and gardens.

MM and Company

I am delighted to tell you that we at MM and Company have signed a representation agreement to represent a terrific, well-established DMC in Italy, Incanto DMC Italy led by Susanne Kosian, Managing Director and Gaby Vanek the Operations Director. Susanna Gaby and the Incanto DMC Italy team operate throughout Italy and its Islands

IMEX 19^th – 20^th May

I am gathering which of our DMCs will be there so far

Eva Hoffman of Cornerstone Meetings DMC will be at IMEX 

Stephane Louise Hello Islands DMC Mauritius will be at IMEX

Geraint Holt of THE J TEAM DMC will be at IMEX on the Kyoto Convention & Visitors Bureau stand F510.

Marc Schwabach of Ambiance Incentives DMC Spain & Andorra will be at IMEX

Maros Borsky of Enjoy Slovakia DMC will be at IMEX

Greece

Maria, Tina, Lisa, Miltos, Fani, Andromachi and all the team at Event Makers DMC Greece have told us that the Athens Hilton is now The Conrad Athens having undergone total and utter amazing redevelopment refurbishment and has been totally re imagined, The Hilton Athens was once upon a time the hotel in Athens I am certain the Conrad Athens will reclaim that crown. The Conrad hotel, developed on the site of the historic Hilton, opened officially on 23^rd April 2026. 

Austria

Martin, Evelyn, and the team at e+o DMC Austria are getting ready for the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 is scheduled to consist of two semi-finals on 12^th  and 14^th  May and a final on 16^th May 2026, held at Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria,

We at MM and Company had some very sad news last week, a wonderful DMC and a dear friend Beth Lockwood Owner and MD of Details NYC DMC the DMC in New York  we have represented since 2010 has passed away, Beth had the dreadful C disease, she had a tough time, Beth is now at peace, far too young but at peace nevertheless.  

And that is about it for this Monday, you know as much as I know, wishing you an outstanding day and an awesome week ahead.