TRUE STORIES FROM A BED & BREAKFAST HOST. I grew up in a B&B since the age of 4, after 20 plus years of having a constant stream of strangers come through the front door. You pick up a story or two....
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A very handsome English man called David had stayed with us at Parklands some years earlier whilst attending meetings in London. He was a divorcee, who spent a lot of his time working in Russia, setting up shopping centres and transportation networks.
Out of the blue he called to ask if he could make a ten-day booking. The reason being that he was getting married and wanted to use Parklands as a base during that time. He had met someone in Russia! I was thrilled that he had fallen in love again and I was looking forward to meeting his new partner.
On the day, they were arriving I put flowers in their room and a bottle of champagne to wish them every happiness. David was going to introduce his new partner to his children over the following week and break the news to them that he was getting married. He was naturally quite anxious about this and also as to how his teenage children would react. One of the difficult things about a break up is introducing new partners into the equation.
David had got on well with Pat, my handyman, during his previous stay and they had built up quite a rapport with each other. It was during one of these evenings that he asked Pat to be a witness at the wedding, and asked me if Pat could have the day off. Of course I said "yes!"
Pat's wardrobe wasn't geared up for weddings, so I passed on some of my ex-husband's shirts and a jacket, and David kindly offered to hire a suit for him. The day Pat went off to be a witness in Caxton Hall was the smartest I had ever seen him.
There were only four people at the wedding - the bride and groom, the mother of the bride and Pat. After the wedding they all went to a very smart restaurant close to South Audley Street. Later that evening Pat moaned to me that the portions were like starters, and that after the meal they all went their separate ways – his being the pub, in Duke Street – the Barley Mow, for a Pie and a Pint of Guinness!
David and his new partner were the first of several couples who have stayed at Parklands to either become engaged, get married or spend their honeymoon in London.
I always feel so privileged to be a part of such personal and exciting time in my guest's lives.
I just wish camera phones were around back then as I'd have had some wonderful photos of the occasions for my guestbook memories.
