Just About Me 29

In approx 1993, I was approached by the Managing Director at Raffles, she explained that she wanted me to work directly for Raffles and that the club would not be renewing Joe's contract, she offered me £14000 per year wages, and by now I was earning approx £500 pw in tips and extras on top of this. For me it was a no brainer, I phoned Joe and told him of the offer, unfortunately we fell out over it but to this day I know I did the right thing, as much as I enjoyed working for Joe, he simply could not match this offer. So I became the clubs solitary doorman, I had some fantastic times at Raffles and I have met many people who have become my friends, one in particular, Holly Bellingham was to feature heavily in my life but that was far off in the future.
Whilst at Raffles I also met many celebrities and politicians and believe it or not one or two of them also became friends, David Coulthard and Jeremy Clarkson, I met David one night when he came in as a guest of another guy, he had not even started Formula One motor racing and was still a single guy, I remember that his friend also called David dragged him to a pub where they promptly met two attractive ladies and came back laughing, he was always really nice to me and always had time for a sit down and a long chat, he also was a great tipper, always a £50 note.

The Jeremy Clarkson story is, Top Gear, the well known BBC TV series hired Raffles to film an article about a Ferrari, at the time we were strictly a jacket and tie establishment, Jeremy turned up in jeans and we had a problem with that, they also had a very glamorous actress,  so I suggested that he drive the Ferrari and park outside the club on the Kings Road, I then walked towards the car and opened the door for the lady to alight. We then cut the camera and started re filming with myself escorting the lady into the club and then spinning around and stopping Mr Clarkson in his tracks and saying " Sir, the lady looks fine, but you unfortunately have jeans on and can not be admitted, at this point I close the door in his face and he says "The keys to a Ferrari open most doors but obviously not this one", and I am proud to say that not only did I make all this up on the day but we filmed it all in one take. You sometimes find it popping up on the UK Gold Channel, please form an orderly queue for autographs. Over the years Jeremy would occasionally pop in for a drink but would always sit at the door telling people he had only popped in for a drink and a chat with Paul.
Whilst at Raffles I worked with several receptionists, but two stand out for me and both have become friends, Angie Bryant is the first one, she wont thank me for this but she is the female me, she is a really good laugh a real crazy lady, she is also Joe's sister in law and must have struggled with her decision to carry on working with me. The other is a lady named Prue Errington, Prue's father was a brigadier in the army and she used to live in Dover Castle, she spoke very nicely and how she put up with my disgusting language and habits I will never know. I am pleased to say that a lot of water has flown under the bridge and myself and Joe and his wife Dee are now all friends again.