Bowled over by a new start back in Hartlepool

THE bronze medal I won in Canada brought me back to the UK from my island in the sun – when I made another mistake as “another door opened” and I trustingly bowled in.

 I was offered a new job, by a good friend Mick Mitchell, in Hartlepool, as the manager of the new UK Superbowl on Brenda Road. We discussed terms, including performance-related pay, if the bowling alley took off. I said farewell to “The Paper” in Tenerife – although they resisted as did some of the customers. Linekers Bar in Playa de las Americas, was one advertiser the newspaper could not afford to lose. The adverts I had sketched and given to the graphic designer had proved successful with the management and owners of the seven Lineker Bars in Spain. 

The two most popular adverts showed David Seaman with the ball flying over his head into the net during the 2002 FIFA World Cup from a long range effort from Brazil’s Ronaldinho during the quarter final game. Seaman was no Gordon Banks and the caption on the advert read “You will also score at Linekers” aimed at the young people who frequented the resort.

The second was a model clad in a Union Jack bikini telling customers of a forthcoming match between England v West Germany with a caption that read: “You better get your towels down early for this one, Fitz” – a reference to the German practice of getting to the swimming pool long before the sun came up to place towels on sun beds. It caused ructions from the German Vice-Consulate but, there again, “political correctness” were not adjectives normally associated with Tenerife.

But I was back in the UK and, eventually, the newspaper lost the England strikers adverts and, as the property market collapsed in the Canary Islands, “The Paper” – which was a free publication, similar to Hartlepool Life – ceased to exist. Had I made the right decision or not? Time would tell!

I managed the bowling alley to the best of my ability – arranging leagues, competitions and writing “Tenpin Bowling” notes for the town’s newspaper. In six months, the place took off but a couple of things happened which made me think “I wish I was back in the sun”. 

I was working seven days a week – sometimes 14 hours a day – on a fixed salary. My good friend Mick Mitchell died and his business partner claimed he knew nothing about the “performance related pay” agreement. I had to accept his word but I knew what the takings had been and the efforts I had made in getting the bowling alley up and running. I handed back the keys and told him I was leaving at the end of the week. 

Discussions took place but, as neither of us could produce a written Contract of Employment, I departed leaving my assistant managers to run the bowling alley. They knew the 10-pin bowling game inside out and would continue to make sure the armoured van from Securicor visited at least twice a week to take the takings to the bank. 

I had the figures to prove the bowling alley was paid for in those first six months but my performance related pay was never forthcoming. The staff presented me with a gold watch and a visit from a stripper-gram at my leaving party. The watch was most welcome but the young lady dressed as a police officer was not!

 I flew back to Tenerife the next day for yet another holiday in the sun – but join me next time as I go “island hopping” to a place that proved well worth a visit!