NatMags’ country style is baa-king

The Diary was intrigued to see the normally frantic National Magazine Company’s reception transformed into a peaceful garden, complete with wooden park bench, hanging baskets and the soothing sounds of nature.

The reason the new, but sadly temporary, rainforest of calm has been built is to draw attention to this month’s interview with gardening-mad Prince Charles in Harper’s & Queen.

But it’s causing problems with the regulars – it seems country sounds have proven a bit too much for them.

“We’ve got cows mooing, sheep baaing and seagulls singing,” said one fed-up employee. “And when they get going it’s like Brighton in here – we had to turn the volume down.”