Our new office: quiet foods only please

This is what the BBC Academy office looked like last week (on a fact-finding mission with, from left, Jacky Hems, David Hayward, Mia Costello and Nicki Defago):

And this is what it looked like this morning:

The result is that where we used to work now looks like it has been done over by a particularly aggressive spy organisation searching unsuccessfully for a vital clue to save the world from certain destruction:

The move went so smoothly that by 10 o'clock on the first morning I felt like I'd always been here, gazing at the London traffic in the rain:

More interesting, for a moment at least, is the view inside the building, where you can enjoy feeling you are part of The Thick of It:

My only quibbles are to do with food and drink.

I was impressed to find a better class of coffee machine than I'd ever come across at the BBC - with real coffee beans. But it turns out it's not for everyone: post-production staff only. Do editors really need more caffeine than the rest of us?

Finally, there's the new food policy, as explained in 'welcome' leaflets on our desks:

"Be aware that smelly foods and 'noisy to eat' foods may cause distraction."

I thoughtfully held back on the lettuce in my lunchtime salad, although I did sneak in a few anti-social croutons. I knew there wouldn't be a problem with sticky toffee pudding and custard.

But when I got back to my new desk I found myself opposite a man I've never seen (that's hot-desking for you) brazenly crunching his way through a packet of McCoys Flame Grilled Steak Crisps.

I would have said something but it might have violated another rule in the welcome leaflet:

"Move away from your desk if your conversation turns into a meeting."

I finished my pudding quietly.