From Pinewood with love – but no licence to thrill

IT'S been a week that saw me being James Bond's bit on the side. Along with 300 other people. The man has needs, and at the moment they are not being met. This unforeseen role came about at Pinewood Studios, where James Bond is filmed. The studios are so strongly associated with Bond that the lot – as they say – abounds with references to his films. There's Goldfinger Avenue, which puts baddies on the map, and Broccoli Road, so named after the films' legendary producer, Albert

But the weak dollar and the US writers' strike have reduced the number of productions being filmed there, and Pinewood this week posted slumped profits. It has been trying to diversify its interests from films, and one of those income-boosting tandem...