ROADCHEF, the motorway services operator, has been vociferous in lobbying for changes to the antiquated laws that govern British motorways. In particular, it has called for the strict rules on signage to be relaxed to allow operators to replace symbols of their facilities with actual brands, such as Costa, KFC and Premier Travel Inn.

The company has launched a £500,000 campaign fronted by Quentin Willson, the former Top Gear presenter, encouraging drivers to take a break at a RoadChef service station. Yet because of the strict rules on roadside advertising, it has been forced to hire 50 large lorries to trawl up and down the motorways with the ads on the back.

THE targeting of BetOnSports by the American authorities is having a knock-on effect on the economy in Costa Rica, where the internet betting firm is based. The company employs the best part of 1,000 local people during the peak period over the summer, but the closure of its US-facing websites means that many of those jobs are at risk. Other Costa Rican betting firms report a huge number of applications for every job vacancy, and local shops and restaurants have seen a drop-off in sales.

Who’s game?

THE post of “director of serious games” is being advertised by Coventry University, paying a salary of up to £69,807. It is looking for someone with an impressive commercial record “ideally in the computer games sector or with experience of using serious games”. As a member of the senior management, there will be the “freedom to explore the possibilities for research, income generation, business links and consultancy”. The concept of “serious games” has passed me by, I’m afraid, although Wikipedia claims that the term has been in common usage for at least six years. But I wonder how many City executives will want to admit to expertise in the field of computer games?

ALAN PARKER, the Whitbread chief executive, spent some of his weekend taking part in the London Triathlon in aid of the charity Hospitality Action. That is not quite as impressive as it sounds because he was competing as one third of the Whitbread Warriors team, with each member doing one discipline — in Parker’s case, the 40km cycle ride (completed in 1hr 30min). But a spokeswoman insists that the 59-year-old is quite capable of a full triathlon. “Alan did the David Lloyd Triathlon last year, where he actually did all three parts of it.”

Touché

LAST month this column reported the thoughts of Duncan Bannatyne, the television celebrity entrepreneur, on his brief spell as chairman of M1nt, the Knightsbridge club founded by the former investment banker Alistair Paton. “I would never do business with that man ever again,” he hissed.

Now Paton, who has announced that he is moving to a location in Jermyn Street — the previous site was closed down by Gordon Ramsay, from whom he was leasing the premises, after a dispute over rent — is demanding a right of reply. Most of his rambling e-mail is, for legal and taste reasons, unprintable, but he concludes: “Duncan is simply more interested in raising his profile than contributing to the business and (is) not a professional chairman.”

city.diary@thetimes.co.uk

Times Recommends

• Lies and cover-up at MG Rover exposed by report
• High oil prices push manufacturing costs up
• Primark founder steps down as chief executive