Somehow or other we attracted a large number of characters from the film and music scene, who liked to have their cars done out in special colours and with fancy trim and sound systems. With all that extra added weight, they naturally had to have the cars tuned up a bit, though most of them never drove out of London. They also liked their privacy for which the Mews was really ideal as there were no gawkers passing by. Our mechanics soon became quite blasé at the appearance of yet another ‘star’. However, when Ursula Andress bought a Mini Cooper from us, there wasn’t a single employee who didn’t at least peer around the workshop or office doors to see this beauty come to collect her car. Among other visitors were the ‘Girl from Uncle’ star, Stefanie Powers, Susannah York, Sarah Lawson, Isobel Black, Patrick Allen and ‘Deadwood’ star Ian McShane. Tessa Wyatt actually lived in the mews so husband-to-be Tony Blackburn also often drove by in his E type, and Michael Crawford, ‘Phantom’ days, while he was still doing his regular soliloquy on ‘That Was the Week That Was’, bought his modest Morris 1100 in for service. When we had our annual Christmas party in the showroom, some of our regular customers took part and the Walker Brothers and Peter and Gordon even brought their guitars. Brian Jones, one of the founders of the Rolling Stones, turned up one afternoon with a bunch of folks in a huge open American car – a Cadillac I believe, but I don’t think he remembered much of why he was there as he appeared well out of it. Ringo Starr tried to sell me his Facel Vega, but you can imagine that was not on the top of our ‘cars to buy’ list. We even built a very special Mini Moke for the Dave Clark Five movie ‘See How They Run’. I do believe that the downfall of motoring activity in Lancaster Mews began when yellow lines were painted around both sides of the cobblestoned road and parking wardens became a part of our day – and our overheads. I did try and resist by lying in the road to prevent the dreaded yellow liner machine from doing its job, and even the Times newspaper covered this small rebellion, but they just painted around my prone body. I am fortunate to now live on the tiny Pacific Island of Molokai, with just sixty miles of paved road and absolutely no problems with traffic or parking, but there is no doubt that our years in ‘The Mews’ were as exciting and fulfilling as anything one could ever wish for. John Sprinzel John and his Midget in the London-Sydney Marathon, Ursula Andress and her Mini, John and Caryl, his second wife in Brisbane in 2000.