The entire Conran family flew to Bermuda to be at my daughter Sophie’s wedding to Nick Hofgren, a Dutch American. 7 hours form Heathrow but only two hours from the East Coast of America so our Colony has become a favourite holiday destination for Americans. It is also a tax haven and is fearsomely expensive as the Bermudan Dollar is linked to the US Dollar (£1 = $1.40 Bermudan Dollars)
It is a small island, well away from the Caribbean with extremely pleasant people who appear happy with life, no chips on shoulders to be seen or heard. Charming architecture rather reminiscent of Cornwall, all the houses painted in pastel paint box colours, all with white painted roofs which means that they can collect pure, clean rainwater from the roofs of a drinkable quality. Wonderful fine sandy beaches, marvelous tropical flowery vegetation amongst the hilly rocky landscape. A great place for a holiday if money is no object and you are crazy enough to want a tax haven.
Food reasonably good, mainly American inspired with lots of barbeques, surprisingly little fish – practically everything is imported from America. In fact the whole place has a distinctly New England feel about it.
Bermuda is our old colonial past with a touch of Butlins. It made me wonder if we couldn’t sell our interest in the island to an Arab Emirate or America to help ease our financial deficit – just an idea.
Terence Conran
June 2010
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