News from Stanfords – Page 13

Best Map of the Year Announced

A map of important geological sites has been announced as 2007’s winner of a new British Cartography Society (BCS) award sponsored by Stanfords.

Rosemary Duncan’s entry, the Hamps and Manifold Geotrail, details Regionally Important Geological and Geomorphological Sites (RIGS) – areas of significant earth science importance – and was commissioned by the Staffordshire RIGS Group.

Stanfords’ Margaret Ross, buyer of map products imported from overseas, and Chris English, responsible for map graphics on our website, were among six judges from the maps and graphics industry who assessed more than 30 entries. Chris says of the winner, “This map fulfilled its intended purpose, as well as being nice and tidy, with good graphics, and it looks really attractive. It’s great that it guides you through a walk and puts the landscape into context, pointing out features along the way. Just looking at it made me want to go to the area straight away.” Continue reading Best Map of the Year Announced

Stanfords Supports Coast-To-Coast Trek

An intrepid businessman trekked from coast to coast of France to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support. Mike Heyes, a senior consultant from Cheshire, set off on 11 July from Hendaye, a small French town on the Atlantic coast and, with the help of maps supplied from Stanfords, traversed his way across 800km of varied landscape. Forty-seven days later, having climbed a total of 40,000 metres, he enjoyed a swim in the Mediterranean.

Walking every day, except for three rest days, Mike walked an average of 20km and ascended about 1,000m each day, which he says, “The total ascent, 40,000m, is nearly five times the height of Mount Everest.” Mike adds, “The scenery was continuously breathtaking. The weather was generally kind to me, mostly blue sky days, but there were several big storms and half a dozen total white-out days, when thick cloud covered the mountains and tested my navigation skills.”

With a pack weight sometimes reaching 20kg, Mike experienced vastly varied temperatures – from sub zero in the high mountains to a steamy 35C during the last few days towards the Med. He says, “I encountered a number of problems on route, but I was totally focused on the end result and that helped me to overcome them.”

Back home, Mike says, “The experience has left me feeling strong and self-confident but very humble, in that I am very fortunate to be healthy enough to have taken on and completed this adventure. We should not forget that many people are not so fortunate. Their lives have been turned upside down by cancer, so let’s remember that the main event is raising money for Macmillan.”

Donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/mikeheyes. For more information on Just Giving, visit their site at www.justgiving.com and for Macmillan Cancer Support, visit www.macmillan.org.uk. Author: Rachel Ricks

Bibendum – The 'Michelin Man' Revealed

Following a recent store promotion involving prominent map and book publishers Michelin, and the antics of a certain member of staff who (rather enthusiastically) volunteered to brave the streets of London dressed as the ‘Michelin Man’ (or ‘Bibendum’ as he is known in his native France), we at Stanfords decided to look into the story behind this iconic character…and came across some surprising facts in the process…

Did you know…

Bibendum was first introduced in 1898 on a poster commissioned by André Michelin after his brother Édouard noticed that a stack of tyres displayed at a Michelin exhibition stand resembled a person. Édouard Michelin is said to have remarked “Give it some arms and legs and it would look like a man!”

The name Bibendum first appears on the original 1898 poster with the slogan ‘The Michelin tyre drinks up obstacles’, which depicts Bibendum toasting his competitors with the Latin verse ‘Nunc est bibendum’ or ‘Now is the time to drink!’

Michelin Poster - Bibendum in 1898 Bibendum’s career as a mascot began when he appeared as a cardboard cut-out on the Michelin stand at the Paris Motor Show. Visitors were so taken aback by his imposing silhouette – again shown toasting – that for a period he was known as the “road drunkard”.

The names associated with this iconic character have entered popular language to describe someone who is large or obese. In Spanish, the word ‘Michelin’ is associated with having a “spare tyre” – or roll of fat – around the waist.

The swanky Bibendum restaurant in South Kensington is housed in the original Michelin London headquarters that opened in 1911. The design of the restaurant refers directly to the building’s association with the Bibendum logo, and if you go there today you will see him adorning the floors, walls and windows!

In 1985 Bibendum shared the limelight with James Bond in the film ‘A view to a kill’. In a scene where Bond is trapped in a Rolls Royce pushed into a lake, he manages to escape by breathing air from the car’s Michelin tyres.

Bibendum also made a brief appearance in the popular Asterix comic-book series as a chariot-wheel dealer, and French reggae band Tryo have even written a song about him, with the lyrics ‘Mr Bibendum, he is truly enormous, Mr Bibendum; happiness in person’!

Did you know - Bibendum through the years

Bibendum is one of the world’s oldest and most iconic trademarks, representing Michelin in over 150 countries.

In 1998 Bibendum celebrated his 100th birthday, with the year being declared ‘The Year of Bibendum’. Bibendum has evolved a lot over the years – the original logo was based on bicycle tyres and was shown wearing glasses and smoking a cigar! He has since slimmed down to reflect the smaller tyres of modern cars, has given up the cigar, and has even been seen running!

Stanfords restores glory to flagship store

Stanfords is looking forward to the highlight of our 150th anniversary year: the 2003 re-launch of our flagship store on Long Acre, Covent Garden, at the end of our £1 million-pound refurbishment programme.

Already the world’s largest specialist map and travel bookshop, our refurbished store will be 50% larger than before, allowing Stanfords to offer an expanded range of both maps and books, which will be merchandised together by region for extra convenience. Large graphic displays will guide you to each area, and other original features include lectern browsers with map index information.

Starting in September 2002, exterior building work has been undertaken in parallel with the interior refurbishment and our store has remained open throughout. Continue reading Stanfords restores glory to flagship store

Now We Are 150 Years Old!

2003 has been, it seems, the year of exploration and travel anniversaries: celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first successful ascent of Everest, the 100th of the first powered flight, the 80th of Footprint’s South American Handbook, the 30th for Lonely Planet and the 10th for Wanderlust. Of course, we are biased to the notion that the most important anniversary this year is our own 150th.

Edward Stanford made his reputation rapidly upon setting up his independent business in 1853. One of his first series of maps, covering the Crimea in 1854-55, made Florence Nightingale a customer. Stanley and Livingstone were fans too, with the former writing to Stanford, “Had it not been my fate to be an African explorer, I should have wished to be a geographer of your attainments.” Amongst the other explorers and travellers Stanfords has had the honour of serving are Captain Robert Falcon Scott, the late Sir Wilfred Thesiger, Sir Chris Bonington and Michael Palin to name but a small handful.

Continue reading Now We Are 150 Years Old!