The lighter note

Paris in the Pilbara

The Note is a big backer of the Pilbara Cities concept, which is hoping to give those hardworking regional communities a little something more vibrant.

But, as receptive as we are to this positive story, The Note did not come down in the last dust storm.

Take for instance, an invitation received by a Note operative to the opening of Silver Star cafe in Port Hedland, with none other than the Premier Colin Barnett cutting the ribbon.

That is a very credible start, but we thought the description of the cafe as “the north west’s most iconic new cafe and restaurant” was a little premature.

There was also the location, in “its new surrounds in the cultural heart of Port Hedland’s west end”. Just like London or Paris, really.

The Silver Star is an old passenger rail wagon, so points there for originality. Apparently it was a gift from a partner in the Mt Newman mine, and once ran between St Louis and Kansas City – so it’s swapped one Wild West for another.

But just to prove we are not a bunch of city centric snobs, The Note couldn’t go past another invitation sent to the paper by fine men’s clothing store Parker & Co. In opening a new store in the CBD, the outfitter said it would also be welcoming Swedish brand ACNE.

Is it just The Note, or is that one of those names that just doesn’t translate well?

Healthy figure

The Note has been sticking its snout in a few annual reports looking for some valuations in the health sector.

Government-owned insurer Medibank revealed it paid $8 million to buy David Wee’s occupational health business Carepoint. The deal settled at the end of August.

But Sonic Healthcare buried the details of its deal to buy Carepoint’s rival Prime Health Group that was predominantly owned by John Poynton.