Story 19
THE MAKING OF UNCLE JIM
So how do you deal with a panhandler (in this instance, Uncle Jim as he was known) who made his home right outside your front door, especially if you own a high-profile, major restaurant (in this instance Sarastro) in the heart of London’s theatre district?
Well the owner, Richard Niazi, known as the King of Covent Garden, laid a table by the front door, invited Uncle Jim to come in, sit and greet people. They, in turn, would buy him a glass of wine. Although you might think that strange it was not. Uncle Jim fitted perfectly into unquestionably the quirkiest, craziest, amazing fairyland restaurant I’ve ever been to and, as an added bonus, the food is quite excellent.