Making a crisis out of a drama

In 1986, when I was an assistant rooms divisional manager/duty manager at one of Jersey's largest hotels, I had to carry out routine patrols of the building.

On one particular morning, after completing my rounds, I decided that, having had only four-and-a-half hours sleep, I would return to my office for breakfast.

The route I chose to walk was down a large flight of stairs, through the car park to the hotel's main entrance. But, as I came down the last few stairs, I saw two policemen with guard dogs in the car park. Then, at that precise moment, a man wearing a bomb disposal uniform appeared. My brain went into overdrive and screamed: "We have a bomb and no one has bleeped me".

Resigned to having to admit I had failed in the course of duty, I carried on walking, ready to say: "Yes, I am (unfortunately) the duty manager."

The scene continued to unfurl before me - a bomb disposal van, two police cars, more policemen and even more Army uniforms came into view. And surreally, parked in the middle of this pandemonium, was an open-topped, red sports car. Why?

Then, a voice called: "All right luvvies, it's a rap. Take five." The hotel had given permission for the BBC to film the detective series Bergerac on its premises.

I wish someone had told me!