Bunhill: Insatiable Virgin

AND talking of Branson, the maestro's invasion of Colaland has rather overshadowed another, literal, Mega-venture: the expansion of the Virgin Megastore in Oxford Street into what is claimed to be 'the world's largest leisure store'. The development is swallowing up four cinemas and a casino.

The result will feature a 'Hollywood-style' staircase leading down to a basement housing the 'Videodrome', stocking 25,000 videos - and 12 columns with protruding screens. The ground floor will be devoted to the dubious- sounding 'Virgin Games Centre', the first floor to rock, pop and PCs. Jazz, blues, folk and classical have been consigned to the top floor.

Unfortunately, journalists may have been rather put off by the press release announcing the news. Not only does it include words like 'signage', it also has more than its fair share of grammatical howlers. But then it was issued by Lynne Franks Associates, a firm whose founder was parodied by Jennifer Saunders in Absolutely Fabulous.