Consistency at the ministry of fun
May has been a brilliant month in London, starting with the impeccably organised VE Day celebrations, which surpassed the wildest expectations.
I met the gentleman who co-ordinated that unforgettable three-day Hyde Park extravaganza at a small party given for our own Tom Webb of the London Tourist board, and was amazed by his modesty.
I also recently attended a meeting of the Deregulation Task Force, with Virginia Bottomley. I immediately fell in love with her. My "heaven on earth" would be if the rumours concerning Virginia Bottomley taking over from Stephen Dorrell as "Minister of Fun" were true, although she told us she enjoyed her present job and intends to continue for a long time yet.
Hoteliers would actually have every right to be very cross if either Lord Astor or Stephen Dorrell were to be relocated from their tourism jobs so soon after their instatement, especially as they stand in a long line of "here today, gone tomorrow" tourism ministers, starting with David Trippier only six years ago.
Tourism is a complex subject that cannot be learnt overnight, and as Britain's largest employers and export earners, we deserve to be taken more seriously. The recent Touche Ross report on tourism needs to acted upon, especially in connection with the faultless argument it puts forward for reducing VAT to 8% on tourist accommodation and related services.
Stephen Dorrell and Lord Astor are only just beginning to understand the crucial role tourism has to play in the economy, and the importance of allowing us to compete on equal terms with our European partners. To replace either of them now would surely be unwise. But I will keep working on the biceps and the bald patch until a definite decision is made!
Two Goring family members are crewing on a Goring Hotel-sponsored yacht in this year's Fastnet Race on 4 August. Our chef John Elliott and his wife Ann already sportingly spent the weekend of 19-21 May at Cowes with the 12 crew of our boat, Outstripper.
It is John's exacting task to ensure that the boat has the best-fed crew of all the 300 Fastnet boats. He is assuming that conditions on board, throughout the seven days, will be as primitive as the days of Horatio Nelson. His efforts are already bearing fruit as, on the Saturday at Cowes, Outstripper unexpectedly won the big race against 200 other boats.
