‘Maybe they’re more reluctant to enter situations where they think it’s obvious to others that they’re looking for a man,’ he says.In the absence of any women, the conversation turns to the subject of eating habits. Nobody here could contemplate entering into a relationship with a carnivore, which is why they’re here today. Were the women more successful last night than the men? Apparently not. They spent yesterday at a film museum, followed by a boat trip and a vegetarian meal, ending up at a West End nightclub. As well as contacting like-minded eaters through a regular mailing list, members can meet up with each other through about 50 national events, including a number of London weekends.Today the group is all male.

The conspicuous consumption of red meat – not a veggieburger in sight – makes it seem an unlikely venue for VMM (Vegetarian MatchMakers) members to meet up for the last leg of their weekend social event known as ‘Fond Farewells’.
Despite the lack of vegetarian fare, the group are in high spirits. A Sunday afternoon at Tattershall Castle, a boat-cum-pub moored on the Thames in London, and the air is filled with the smell of barbecued food – hot dogs and beefburgers. Greenpeace claims that when PVC is burnt, either in production or disposal, it releases dioxins and toxic compounds.EVC is being sold by ICI and EniChem of Italy.An EVC spokesman said Greenpeace’s move was ‘subjective and opportunistic’.. Their concern is finance, not environment.’Greenpeace wants the flotation derailed, but admits this is unrealistic.Limiting money attracted and raising public awareness is the principal goal, it says.The action group’s latest missive to the institutions focuses on EVC’s vulnerability if tougher regulatory restrictions in countries such as Germany and Austria spread.It also contends that PVC demand in construction could suffer if insurers raise premiums for PVC-laden buildings. The group has written again to 150 leading UK institutions and brokers, but has now attacked what it calls the financial disincentives of participation.
Greenpeace previously raised environmental concerns when EVC’s pathfinder prospectus was published earlier in the week.A spokeswoman said: ‘We are appealing to institutions’ wallets.

Order books have fallen, most firms expect the trend to continue and most expect to continue cutting staff over the next 12 months.. Greenpeace, the environmental group, has stepped up its campaign to urge UK institutions to boycott the flotation of EVC International, Europe’s biggest PVC maker. Now we’re looking at a levelling of activity and a downturn in job prospects.’
Mr Hackett also called for the restoration of cuts in the Transport Supplementary Grant, which gives money for local roads. He was backed up by the Confederation of British Industry, which warned that cutbacks in transport infrastructure spending would damage growth prospects.The engineers’ message flew in the face of a call earlier this week by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution for a massive shift of spending away from roads towards public transport.The FCEC survey of 128 firms pointed to lower invitations to tender than a year ago. John Hackett, FCEC director-general, said: ‘It was only a year ago that we saw the first real improvement in the level of invitations to tender for civil engineering work. The recovery was already faltering, the Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors said. Civil engineers yesterday called on the Chancellor not to make further cuts in road spending in next month’s Budget.