If you believe taxi drivers, then this year’s Audi International Polo at Guards Polo Club, Windsor, sparkled a little less brightly than previous years. Fewer people and lower grade celebs, too. My driver thought it was maybe because Cartier was no longer the headline sponsor (what used to be in those goody bags?)

The rainy weather preceding the event also didn’t help, with London nightclub Chinawhite pulling the plug on its annual VIP marquee at the event after it failed to sell enough tickets. It blamed the ongoing bad weather for the reduced ticket sales, with guests unwilling to commit to a possible day out in the rain.

Plus, I hazarded, there’s rather a lot in the event/corporate hospitality diary at the moment – Wimbledon and Farnborough last month, the Olympics less than a week away… there’s plenty to fill one’s (ever-diminishing) time, and we all know that budgets are tight. Indeed, one source told us Keith Prowse’s hospitality at Wimbledon hadn’t sold out completely for the first time in years; and Prestige Ticketing certainly seem to have a few of those 100m men’s finals hospitality tickets still left to flog, if you’ve noticed the daily ads in the Metro.

Add to this the fact that anyone in the financial services/legal sector in particular is terrified of contravening the Bribery Act, and you have a diminished appetite for courtside canapés and bubbles despite the wealth of opportunities. (Maybe that’s why hacks like me got seats this year?)

Anyway, smaller crowd aside, it was a glorious day at the Polo, heralding as it did the first day of ‘summer’ (as the parade of pink-faced poshos leaving the venue can attest). The games were far more interesting (and rougher) than I had expected; the commentary far more droll and self-effacing. (‘The person who has parked their, ahem, RED FERRARI at the wrong gate can you please remove it… or it will be towed away!’ was met with the biggest cheers).

I was a guest of the Crown Foundation, the charitable branch of the Crown Group of companies, which includes well known catering and event industry players Kudos, Seasoned, Piggots, venue reservations, VIP Attention and The Event Hire Company. The service and attention to detail was great (cold bottles of water for those heading to the grandstands to watch in the sun, helpful, attentive staff, attractive marquee). Daniel Clifford (of Crown’s two Michelin-starred Midsummer House) was on-site to recreate the hugely intricate chicken dish that won the Great British Menu 2012’s best main course accolade – for hundreds of people, in a field kitchen. An impressive, and delicious, feat.

The Crown Foundation has raised more than £150k for various charity partners (predominantly those to do with children) over the past four years. Any money raised by staff activity or events is matched by the foundation. At the luncheon a cheque was presented to Great Ormond Street Hospital to purchase five respiratory ventilators for babies. Yet more funds were donated on the day. They hoped to buy a few more respirators and I hope they met their target. It was a jolly good show, chaps. Thanks again.