Fright club

Some say this is a scary time to be a social housing provider, and to get into the spirit a group of young Hyde Group tenants donned zombie outfits to take part in a world record dance to the Michael Jackson hit Thriller on Saturday.

The children joined thousands of people in 32 countries around the globe who danced as part of a world-record breaking attempt.

Closed Circuit likes the concept of co-ordinated global dances and commends Hyde for getting the sector involved, but wonders whether there is scope for more. Maybe the Timewarp would best describe the machinations of housing policy under successive governments.

In other record-breaking news, Simon Hatchman, head of finance at 19,000-home Hanover Housing Group, is gearing up to play the longest game of squash ever.

With the current record standing at 29 hours and 55 minutes, optimistic Mr Hatchman will attempt to play for 31 hours this week, all in aid of Children in Need.

Closed Circuit didn’t like to ask how he would eat, rest or take the necessary ‘comfort’ breaks during the task.

Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/Simon-Hatchman.

Peabody chief executive Steve Howlett was in a foul mood with Millwall fans this week.

Mr Howlett spoke out on Twitter after listening to a radio report about how football has changed.

‘They haven’t been to Millwall. Aggression, foul language - very disturbing’ he tweeted.

Could there be more to Mr Howlett’s outburst than meets the eye, however? Perhaps so. A quick scroll back through his tweets reveals his football team, Ipswich, played Millwall at the weekend.

‘Miserable afternoon at Millwall, losing 4-1 and still counting,’ he tweeted at the time.

Closed Circuit hopes Doncaster will provide less disturbing opposition in Ipswich’s next fixture.

Send your juicy gossip to closed.circuit@insidehousing.co.uk