Business Diary: June 22

LUC Vandevelde's views about the challenges facing Marks & Spencer are newsworthy, given that he is the former chairman and chief executive.

In the interests of balance, we sought a right to reply from the high street giant. A call to M&S corporate press office yielded the following, quite extraordinary response.

A spokeswoman said: "Luc who? We think he left the business in 2004 but we've had trouble finding anyone who can remember him."

This is not just an oddity, this is an M&S oddity.

Camels on course

Law firm Simpson Millar is bringing a whole new meaning to a day at the races this week after organising a camel race in Doncaster.

The inaugural Simpson Millar Arabian Camel Race will take place before the main fixtures at Doncaster Racecourse on Friday at 1.45pm.

Caroline Kelly, marketing director for Simpson Millar, which has an office in Leeds, said: "Peter Watson, managing partner for Simpson Millar, mentioned that a colleague had seen an article in the Racing Post about camel racing. He thought it was an interesting idea, and he jokily suggested that we should add it to our annual Race Day event at Doncaster.

"However, on further investigation we discovered this could be a reality, and when we discussed it with Doncaster Racecourse they loved the idea – and so here we are."

Chef's special

AFTER fitting a plush new kitchen, you've really got to find a celebrity chef to put it through its paces.

Dewsbury-based Rixonway Kitchens decided to hire a headline-grabbing cook to mark its support for a project that helps homeless people in North Yorkshire.

Rixonway Kitchens brought celebrity chef Rosemary Shrager to the Harrogate Homeless Project to cook a meal with some of the residents.

Ms Shrager, who has appeared in television programmes such as Ladette to Lady and Soapstar Superchef, gave some of the residents a cookery lesson to prepare rack of lamb with cous cous and asparagus in the new kitchen donated by Rixonway.

The Harrogate Homeless Project refurbishment means that up to 16 residents can sleep in individual rooms, using new shared shower, toilet and kitchen facilities.

The 225,000 project was funded by the Government's Places for Change programme and a number of individual contributors.

Nick Greenall, operations director at Rixonway, said: " We are pleased Rosemary accepted our invitation as it allowed us to celebrate the opening of the new hostel by working with the residents to prepare a delicious and nutritious meal."

Scenting success

SUCCESS in the boardroom may come down to how you smell, according to new research.

More than half of Yorkshire employers surveyed found personal smell is an important factor when deciding to hire someone.

More than two-thirds of workers in the region worry that they do not smell fragrant enough, according to research by The Perfume Shop.

Some 88 per cent of staff surveyed believe you can have more career success if you smell good.

Almost 60 per cent of people wear a perfume or aftershave to give them a boost when they have an important day ahead of them at work.

And another 62 per cent of people even consider fragrance when going for a job interview – to make sure they give their best impression to the interviewer.

French connection

It's not often you get invited to watch can-can girls in Yorkshire,

but this Saturday sees the opening of Patisserie Valerie's second outlet in Leeds in less than a month.

The new store, in the White Rose shopping centre, will be celebrated with Patisserie Valerie's very own troupe of can-can girls doing their thing

And for any French football fans who are dreading watching their team make an early exit from the World Cup tonight, Patisserie Valerie has decided to celebrate a more defining moment in French history.

In July, every outlet, including both White Rose and Albion Street, will hold several days of celebrations for Bastille Day.