We caught up with Richard Black, a propery developer, professional TV and radio broadcaster, journalist and producer with over 20 years of experience.
Richard, a solicitor, remains a property developer despite a busy broadcasting schedule and has, over the last 20 years, bought, sold, owned, renovated, leased, demolished and developed numerous properties ranging from one-bed flats to country estates. 2020 saw Richard complete the build of his own home from scratch turning a run down, overgrown two acres of south Norfolk into a £1 million gated estate.
My car of choice
I drive a Mercedes GLC220d, I love it. It’s my first Mercedes, I’ve always had Audi but wanted an SUV and this offered me everything I liked, I live on country lanes and the height of the car helps. I also have a classic VW Golf mark 1 Cabriolet.
My favourite holiday destination
In 2019, I went on an epic journey for a month to Hong Kong, New Zealand and Yasawa Island Fiji. We had our marriage blessed in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand at a villa called Rahimoana.
Short haul, Nerja in southern Spain.
My gadget I can’t live without
My Bose earbuds. The sound quality is first class. I take them overseas or to the gym. They’re never far away, its nice just to plug in and zone out. I’m trying to avoid my smartphone but my agent has found ways of getting hold of me in the most remote of circumstances so, my iPhone too is essential!
My go to fashion brand
Hugo Boss, for me, deliver a really good and varied range of classic and casual clothes. I’m a regular in the Norwich store. Moving further upmarket, Carolina Herrera designs some really simple and unique men’s clothes and I find the colours superb. I always find myself in CH when in Spain.
My airline of choice
For short haul I have found British Airways offer really great service, I have flown to Malaga with them several times in 2021. When travelling longer haul both Cathay Pacific and Air New Zealand were amazing, the whole experience on both is clearly directed towards ‘top end’ treatment.
My favourite watch brand
I have a Jaeger Le Coultre reverso and a Breguet skeleton watch, but my favourite is the Gucci watch I was bought as a gift for my wedding. Its simple, but the silver and rose gold it’s made from go really well with my wedding ring.
My favourite restaurant
I never know how to find a decent restaurant! But I have a friend who is brilliant at it – thank heavens, and I’ve been to some amazing venues. The River Café in Brooklyn, New York was an amazing experience, il buco in Sorento was also in my favourites. In the UK, Sartoria, London.
My guilty pleasure
Training shoes. I have around 100 different pairs. I’ll have a favourite set of a few pairs but then some of the others will drift in and out of popularity – they vary in brand from Burberry and Louis Vuitton all the way through to New Balance and Asics for the gym.
My favourite way to give back
I donate to Shelter, Scope, RSPB, Norfolk Wildlife Trust and have run marathons for the Brittle Bone Society and MacMillan. Employees at my company get free private healthcare, hugely generous holiday entitlement and a good pension scheme. I always value the people around me and support them as much as possible.
