Harry worked as a Senior Publications Representative at the 成人论坛 in Birmingham, Newcastle and Leeds before moving to London’s Marylebone High Street. In this post, he explains how years of accompanying TV celebrities on book tours in the 70’s and 80’s led to him sitting on the other side of the signing table.
I was working at The Scotsman newspaper when I saw an advertisement for a position with the 成人论坛 in Glasgow. The 成人论坛 job paid £200 more per year! I never saw Glasgow but my 成人论坛 career did eventually start in Birmingham in Publications. Pebble Mill hadn’t yet been built and our offices were in Edgbaston. Back then the Radio Times was the UK magazine king, selling over three million copies every week, the book business was in its infancy. I remember the first Delia Smith recipe books; they were thin, A5-sized paperbacks selling for 45p. Last week I bought two from an antique shop in Hampshire and paid £5 each for them!
As the 成人论坛’s book business rapidly expanded in the early 70’s, I found myself organising and accompanying TV celebrities on UK book tours. I travelled with Delia Smith, Keith Floyd and Ken Hom, amongst others, and there was never a dull moment. For the most part the tours were tiring with early starts, late finishes and itineraries packed with TV, radio and bookshop appearances.
As the popularity of each celebrity grew, so the crowds increased and daily schedules came under pressure. There were no mobile phones in those days to help smooth out problems and if we were running late (again) it meant a stop to use a payphone at a motorway service station. I always carried plenty of change in the car.
I recall a 6am start one bitterly cold November morning, filming with Keith Floyd at North Shields fish market. We’d had a ‘robust’ meal the night before which continued into the wee small hours as stories were swapped. Thankfully everyone arrived at the fish market on time and the fish buyers were in good spirit at the thought of meeting Keith. One of them threw a large cod towards Keith who caught it rather adroitly although it ruined his newly dry-cleaned coat. He quickly threw it back at the fish buyer who dropped it. We all howled with laughter as the fish slithered into the harbour giving the seagulls a feast. It set the scene for a great shoot and afterwards everyone finished up in the harbour cafe for a welcome breakfast of bacon and eggs.
The success of the promotional tours was a bit hit-and-miss. Once I arrived with Keith Floyd at a bookshop in Preston where crowd barriers were in place to help manage the fans; no one turned up. A disaster, but Keith took it extremely well. Similarly I met Freddie Trueman one summer’s day in Leeds and we arrived at a suitably decked out WHSmith shop in the City Centre. We waited and waited. Apart from one young lad who wanted Freddie’s autograph on the back of a fag packet, we sold two copies of Arlott and Trueman on Cricket. As we left the shop he turned to me and said, ‘Never mind lad, let’s go for a pint.’
Back in the day, spending many weeks on the road, my reading genre of choice was crime fiction. Keith often said, ‘You know enough about it, you should write a novel yourself’. So, on retirement ten years ago, I thought ‘why not?’ I opened my desk drawer, took out the few chapters I’d tentatively scribbled during the 80’s and set about realising that dream. I picked my genre, joined a writing group, read a lot (Stephen King’s On Writing is a mine of useful tips for the writer just setting out) and begun to understand how novels are constructed. Once I’d convinced myself that it was possible to write my own book I sat down and wrote until I’d finished. Finishing is important as most first-timers never do! After eighteen months and 80,000 words, typing ‘The End’ was an exhilarating and very satisfying moment. I would say to anyone finding their retirement a little dull, remember it’s not too late to try something entirely different and maybe something you never thought was within your capabilities.
These days, as a 成人论坛 alumnus, viewer and listener, I find there are lots of things I miss. Iconic series like Fawlty Towers, Black Adder and Porridge were courageous and innovative and might never have been made if it weren’t for the 成人论坛. Today I’m pleased I can still find programmes of substance particularly on 成人论坛 Three, 成人论坛 Four and, of course, Radio 4 which is a friend to so many of us.
As long as the Licence Fee exists the 成人论坛 will strive to satisfy all viewer and listener interests. In such a changing world it’s a difficult ask but while the 成人论坛 remains in the hearts of the British public it stands a decent chance.
- Harry’s novels ‘Smile of the Viper’ and ‘Forever Evil’ are published by Caffeine Nights and can be bought in paperback from all good bookshops and online, or in Kindle format from Amazon.
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