A beaut of a party
Des Wilson had a fab do 'last week to mark his departure as Director of Shelter, the charity for the homeless. The Guardian's Peter Jenkins went to Shelter's office in the Strand expecting the party to be there. All he discovered was a caretaker turning away a poor old homeless drab: 'The place is closed till Monday'. The party was in the nenthouse suite atop New Zealand House, from where you can look down upon the Houses of Parliament. I asked what was there to drink. 'Champagne only, Sir.' A lot of people who were/are trendy and/or beautiful were there, including a bird (some said Oz's Richard Neville's) in hot pants. Mary Wilson and I talked about Coronation Street and the brilliant character-acting of Doris Speed as Annie Walker, the landlady of 'The Rovers Return'. Paul Callan, the Evening Standard's London Diarist (Eton and Cambridge) said, 'She reminds me of.my nanny'. 'Oh', said Mary Wilson, sweetly demolishing him, 'She reminds me of my aunty'.
In the lift leaving the party a starry-eyed admirer breathed at Jo Grimond, 'It's an honour to meet someone who has done his best to kill the Tory and the Labour parties'. 'And has succeeded in almost killing the Liberal party instead', I muttered, half under my champagney breath. All in all, the party was a beaut. Thanks, Des, for your sweet charity.
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