60 seconds with Simon

• I spent a lot of years working in hotel management but I was also a tyre fitter and worked on the steel works in Scunthorpe.
• I served many famous people in my years in hotels, the most famous was probably the Emperor of Japan – he was Crown Prince then, and his wife. The most scary was Margaret Thatcher and the biggest event was the Pope’s visit to Cardiff.
• I’m a bit of a collector – in fact a lot of a collector. I collect many different things, but in particular Parker 51 pens and Beano books – I have them all from 1949.
• I am a supporter of Liverpool Football Club and when we lived in Southport I knew Kenny Dalglish. He once said hello to me in the street, and he spoke first!!
• For our 25th wedding anniversary we went to Bangkok and stayed in the Peninsula hotel, which is amazing. It turned out that I had worked with the manager many years before. For our 30th wedding anniversary we stayed at the Peninsula Hotel Hong Kong and weirdly the same manager was there!!
• I love going on holiday, especially cruises. I’m supposed to be on a limit but I don’t see that happening!