Peter Stringfellow

Stringfellow was born in the City General Hospital, Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire, on 17 October 1940, to Elsie Bowers and James William Stringfellow, a steelworker who served in the Royal Scots Greys during the Second World War. He was the eldest of four, having three younger brothers; Geoffrey, Paul and Terry.{{cite news |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/southyorkshire/content/articles/2008/06/19/peter_stringfellow_feature.shtml |title=Peter Stringfellow |work=BBC News |access-date=19 November 2012}}

The family lived in Andover Street, Pitsmoor, Sheffield, until 1948 when they had moved to Marshall Street, Pitsmoor. Peter Stringfellow attended Pye Bank Church of England Primary School. He failed his 11 plus and so attended Burngreave Secondary School for one year. He then passed the exam for Sheffield Central Technical College and he left three years later at the age of 15 with a 4th grade Technical Diploma.{{cite book | title=King of Clubs: The Autobiography of Peter Stringfellow | publisher=Little Brown and Company | last=Lafferty |first= Fiona | year=1996 | at=Chapter 1, Page 11 | isbn=0316879339}}

When Stringfellow was 13 years old, he worked at a cinema on The Wicker arterial street in Sheffield. His first job after leaving school was as an assistant tie salesman at Austin Reed. After some casual jobs he enrolled as an apprentice in the Merchant Navy, at the age of 16. His Merchant Navy career lasted two years.{{cite news|title=Sheffield-born nightclub king Peter Stringfellow kept cancer battle secret|url=https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/sheffield-born-nightclub-king-peter-stringfellow-kept-cancer-battle-secret-1761295|newspaper=The Star|location=Sheffield|date=7 June 2018}}

On his return to Sheffield, he worked briefly in various jobs. While at Dobson's Furnishings Company he was convicted of selling stolen carpets and served two weeks in Armley Prison, Leeds, in June 1962 and six weeks in Ford Open Prison.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/money/2011/aug/12/peter-stringfellow-my-greatest-mistake|title=Peter Stringfellow: my greatest mistake|newspaper=The Guardian|date=12 August 2011|access-date=21 November 2012|first=Kamilla |last=Baiden|location=London, UK}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/peter-stringfellow-says-prison-was-best-error-1-3686427|title=Peter Stringfellow says prison was best error|newspaper=Sheffield Star|date=17 August 2011|access-date=21 November 2012}}

After his conviction and imprisonment he was unable to find regular work. This led to his business career running clubs.{{cite news |title=Peter Stringfellow: I don't want to be the Hugh Hefner of Europe – Real Business |url=https://realbusiness.co.uk/business-growth/2014/11/27/peter-stringfellow-i-dont-want-to-be-the-hugh-hefner-of-europe/ |access-date=7 June 2018 |work=Real Business |date=27 November 2014}}

In 1962, Stringfellow rented St Aidan's Church Hall in Sheffield every Friday night, operating the Black Cat Club. Several bands played in the club, such as the Pursuers, Dave Berry and the Cruisers, Johnny Tempest and the Cadillacs and from London, Screaming Lord Sutch, the Savages, Count Lindsay and Gene Vincent.{{cite book|title=King of Clubs: The Autobiography of Peter Stringfellow|publisher=Little Brown and Company|last=Lafferty|first= Fiona|year=1996|at=Chapter 4, Page 42|isbn=0316879339}}

His fortunes changed when The Beatles played on 2 April 1963. The demand for concert tickets was so great that Stringfellow rented a larger venue, the Azena Ballroom in Sheffield. On that night he sent the Beatles a telegram congratulating them on their first album, Please Please Me.{{cite news|url=http://www.beatlesbible.com/1963/04/02/live-azena-ballroom-sheffield|title=Live: Azena Ballroom, Sheffield|date=2 April 1963 |newspaper=Beatles Bible|access-date=19 November 2012}}

In 1963, Stringfellow began another club, the Blue Moon, at St. John's Church Hall in Sheffield. The opening act was the Marauders who had a single, "That's What I Want", in the British top 50.{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/that%27s-what-i-want/|title=that's what i want | full Official Chart History|website=Officialcharts.com|access-date=4 April 2023}} More bands followed such as the Kinks. Other bands that played at the club and who later became famous were Freddie Starr and the Midnighters, the Searchers, Shane Fenton and the Fentones, Wayne Fontana, Long John Baldry and the Hoochie Coochie Men, Rod Stewart and the Soul Agents, Vance Arnold & The Avengers, Dean Marshall and the Deputies.{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.co.uk/The-In-Crowd-Story-Northern/dp/product-description/0953662616|title=The in Crowd: The Story of the Northern and Rare Soul Scene|access-date=20 November 2012|first1=Mike |last1=Ritson |first2=Stuart |last2=Russell|website=Amazon UK }}

In 1964, Stringfellow opened the highly successful Mojo Club, later renamed the King Mojo Club in Sheffield. During its three and half years of business, many bands played at the club, including the Who, Pink Floyd, the Brian Auger Trinity, the Graham Bond Organisation, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, the Yardbirds, Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, the Hollies, the Merseybeats, the Spencer Davis Group, the Pretty Things, Manfred Mann, the Small Faces, Georgie Fame and the Blue Flames, and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Other American acts who played in the club included the first Tamla/Motown acts to play in the UK, Ben E. King, Sonny Boy Williamson, Tina Turner, Inez and Charlie Foxx, John Lee Hooker, and Little Stevie Wonder.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/southyorkshire/content/articles/2008/06/19/peter_stringfellow_feature.shtml|title=Profiles: Peter Stringfellow|publisher=BBC|access-date=20 November 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.themodgeneration.co.uk/2011/11/dirty-stop-outs-guide-to-1960s.html|title=Dirty Stop Out's Guide to 1960's Sheffield|publisher=The Mod Generation|access-date=20 November 2012|last=Anderson|first= Niel}}{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/the-stars-peter-stringfellow-will-never-forget-6561954.html|title=The stars Peter Stringfellow will never forget|work=London Evening Standard|date=1 February 2011|access-date=20 November 2012}}

In 1968, he went into another business venture with Down Broadway, just under the Stylo's shoe shop in the centre of Sheffield.{{cite book|title=King of Clubs: The Autobiography of Peter Stringfellow|publisher=Little Brown and Company|last=Lafferty|first= Fiona|year=1996|at=Chapter 7, Page 92|isbn=0316879339}}

On 4 November 1968, Jethro Tull was the first act to play at Down Broadway and John Peel was booked to play as the star DJ. Another progressive rock group, Yes, also played at the club. In 1969, Stringfellow acquired the first alcohol licence for another of his clubs called the Penthouse Sheffield. The club only lasted for a year due to trouble with overcrowding and objections from the local police. This prompted him to sell it and move to Leeds.

In 1970, he opened Cinderella's in Leeds. This was Stringfellow's first super club, mixing recorded music and live bands.{{cite web|url=http://www.building.co.uk/news/finance/naked-ambition/1020197.article|title=Naked ambition: Design a club the Peter Stringfellow way|work=Building Magazine|year=2002|access-date=21 November 2012|first=Matthew |last=Richards}}

In 1972, Stringfellow acquired a space next door to Cinderella's to create another club called Rockafella's.{{cite news|title=The 28 lost Leeds nightclubs and pubs we miss the most|url=https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/best-in-leeds/whats-on-news/lost-leeds-nightclubs-pubs-miss-19357785|website=Leeds Live|first=Dave|last=Himelfield|date=27 November 2020}} This was the first and last of his super cabaret and super clubs. Comedy duo Mike and Bernie Winters and magician Paul Daniels performed at the club. The two clubs were combined in 1973 and given the name Cinderella Rockafella's, and Stringfellow dropped the cabaret and put in full-time DJs such as Chris Crossley and Peter Tyler. He and his brother, Paul Stringfellow, also served as DJs.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}}

In 1976, Stringfellow and his then business partner and brother, Geoffrey Stringfellow, sold the Cinderella Rockafella's to Mecca and moved to Manchester, where they opened the Millionaire Club.{{cite web|url=http://www.mdmarchive.co.uk/archive/showartefact.php?vid=559|title=Millionaire Club Manchester |publisher=Manchester District Music Archive|access-date=20 November 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110915020110/http://www.mdmarchive.co.uk/archive/showartefact.php?vid=559|archive-date=15 September 2011|first=Andy|last=Mac|date=20 September 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://www.strip-eu.com/mmagazine/new_welcome.php?subaction=showfull&id=1090331784&archive=&start_from=&ucat=4&|title=Interview with Peter Stringfellow|publisher=Strip EU|access-date=21 November 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113004520/http://www.strip-eu.com/mmagazine/new_welcome.php?subaction=showfull&id=1090331784&archive=&start_from=&ucat=4&|archive-date=13 January 2015}} There were no live bands in the Millionaire Club. However, the Stringfellows hired named DJs including Peter Tyler and Brett Sinclair.{{cite news|url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/peter-stringfellow-dead-cancer-nightclub-14753281|title=Nightclub owner Peter Stringfellow dies, aged 77|last=Coyle|first=Simon|date=7 June 2018|work=Manchester Evening News|access-date=7 June 2018}}

In 1980, he sold the Millionaire Club to Granada Ltd and he then moved with his whole family to London. There he opened Stringfellows Covent Garden.{{cite web|url=http://www.stringfellows.co.uk|title=Stringfellows Covent Garden|publisher=Stringfellows Covent Garden|access-date=21 November 2012}} It was an immediate success as a nightclub in London, where celebrities, international film stars, TV personalities, rock stars, models, paparazzi and national newspaper journalists partied for the next 15 years.

In 1983, he took over the old cabaret club, Talk of the Town, which had closed. He reopened it with its original name Hippodrome and it became the "World's Greatest Disco".{{cite web|url=http://www.shadowplays.com/archive/hippo.php|title=London Hippodrome|publisher=Shadow Plays|access-date=20 November 2012}} The Hippodrome introduced its first gay night at the venue under his management.{{cite web|url=http://www.dreamlandnews.com/morton/3.shtml|title=London Hippodrome|publisher=Dreamland News|date=4 July 1985|access-date=21 November 2012}}Since 1976 on a Monday and Thursday (in the basement of the London Astoria, Charing Cross Road) a gay night called BANG had been operating, which 15 years later became G-A-Y nightclub. He also started Hippodrome Records and one of his acts to sign was Dusty Springfield who released the single, "Sometimes Like Butterflies".{{cite news|title=How Dusty Springfield made a remarkable comeback|url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20200630-how-dusty-springfield-made-a-remarkable-comeback|website=BBC Culture|date=1 July 2020|first=Nick|last=Levine}}

In 1986, he opened Stringfellow's New York, which was frequented by New York celebrities and managed with his daughter Karen. In 1989, he opened Stringfellow's Miami, and then Stringfellow's Los Angeles in 1990. He sustained huge financial losses due to the American economic recession in 1989.{{cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/1999/10/14/a-not-so-stodgy-englishman-cabaret-a-high-profile-grandfather-is-making-lap-dancing-almost-respectable-in-london/|title=A not-so-stodgy Englishman|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=14 October 1999|access-date=21 November 2012|first=Bill |last=Glauber|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150113004442/http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1999-10-14/features/9910140256_1_peter-stringfellow-lap-dancing-dancing-club|archive-date=13 January 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/the-stars-peter-stringfellow-will-never-forget-6561954.html|title=The stars Peter Stringfellow will never forget|work=London Evening Standard|date=1 February 2011|access-date=21 November 2012|first=Amira |last=Hashish}}

In 1996, Stringfellow's autobiography, King of Clubs, was published by Little, Brown. It was serialised in the Baltimore Sun newspaper and became a best-seller.

In 1990, Stringfellow introduced table dancing to his New York club with a licensing deal with Michael J. Peter. This became Stringfellow's Presents Pure Platinum. In 1996, Cabaret of Angels, a table-side dancing club was opened for three nights a week at Stringfellow's Covent Garden.

In 2006, Stringfellow opened his second adult entertainment club named Angels in Wardour Street, Soho.{{cite web|url=http://www.angelsclubsoho.com|title=Angels Club Soho|publisher=Angels Club – Soho|access-date=21 November 2012}} He was the first club owner to gain a fully nude licence from Westminster City Council. In 2009, he criticised the Policing and Crime Act 2009, saying the licensing changes with regards to lap dancing were "unnecessary" and he would be appealing to the European Court of Human Rights if his current licences were not renewed.{{cite web|url=http://icqurimage.com/Magazine/Lap_dancing_legislation_2010.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029210702/http://icqurimage.com/Magazine/Lap_dancing_legislation_2010.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 October 2013|title=Getting tough on titillation – lap dancing clubs hit by new licensing legislation|work=Icqurimage Magazine|access-date=21 November 2012}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-11733974|title=Too much sex in the city, say London's councils|work=BBC News|date=12 November 2010|access-date=21 November 2012|first=Andy |last=Dangerfield}}

In 2012, he was granted the necessary sexual entertainment venue (SEV) Licence for Stringfellow's Covent Garden and Angels Soho,{{cite web|url=http://www.strip-magazine.com/london-strip-scene-gossip-august-2012|title=London strip scene gossip August 2012|work=Strip Magazine|access-date=21 November 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121017051835/http://strip-magazine.com/london-strip-scene-gossip-august-2012|archive-date=17 October 2012}} and was able to successfully market Angels as providing rooms for the entertainment "in privacy"{{cite web|url=https://www.stringfellows.co.uk/|title=Gentlemen's clubs London - World Famous Stringfellows in Covent Garden|website=Stringfellows London}} of young women in lingerie.{{cite web|title=Angels VIP Girls (image)|website=Angels Club Soho|url=http://www.angelsclubsoho.com/wp-content/gallery/angels-vip/angels-vip-girl-2.jpg|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130402213716/http://www.angelsclubsoho.com/wp-content/gallery/angels-vip/angels-vip-girl-2.jpg|archive-date=2 April 2013}}

Stringfellow first appeared on television as a warm-up act on Ready Steady Go! in 1964. He contributed to numerous programmes, both radio and television, in subsequent decades. Stringfellow appeared on Noel's House Party where he was gunged alongside Jimmy Savile.{{cite web | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eYnMar1iuzw | title=Noel's House Party Peter Stringfellow and Jimmy Saville Gunged Trip around the great house | website=YouTube }} He appeared on the celebrity edition of Come Dine with Me, with the first broadcast on 17 September 2008. Stringfellow appeared in season 1, episode 2 on Trigger Happy TV.{{cite web | url=http://www.channel4.com/programmes/come-dine-with-me/episode-guide/series-8/episode-16|title=Series 8 {{!}} Episode 16 {{!}} Celebrity Come Dine with Me – Peter Stringfellow|publisher=Channel 4|access-date=20 November 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.unrealitytv.co.uk/reality-tv/celebrity-come-dine-with-me-with-peter-stringfellow-lee-ryan-michelle-heaton-linda-barker|title=CELEBRITY COME DINE WITH ME: With Peter Stringfellow, Lee Ryan, Michelle Heaton & Linda Barker|publisher=Unreality TV|date=17 September 2008|access-date=20 November 2012|first=Lisa |last=McGarry}} He also appeared in season 15 episode 1 of Top Gear, which was broadcast on 27 June 2010, where he had to help Jeremy Clarkson when he was stuck in a rolled over Reliant Robin.{{cite web|url=http://www.topgear.com/uk/tv-show/series-15/episode-1|title=The one with Icelandic volcano|work=Top Gear|access-date=20 November 2012}}

Stringfellow married Norma Williams in 1960. They had a daughter, Karen, who was involved with Stringfellow's businesses for many years and is now a boutique owner in Florida. After Stringfellow and Williams divorced, he married Coral Wright in 1967. They had one son together before divorcing: Scott, a former racecar driver.{{cite news|newspaper=Evening Standard|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/peter-stringfellow-s-love-life-club-mogul-married-three-times-and-claimed-to-have-sex-with-2-000-women-a3857501.html|title=Peter Stringfellow's love life: Club mogul married three times and claimed he had sex with 2,000 women|date=7 June 2018|first=Asher|last=McShane}} He had a 12-year relationship with Frizzby Fox, which ended in 1996, and then for two years until 1998 with Helen Benoist.{{cite web|url=http://www.helenbenoist.co.uk/?p=p_about|work= Helen Benoist Official Website |title=About Me|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725134335/http://www.helenbenoist.co.uk/?p=p_about|archive-date=25 July 2015|url-status=dead|access-date=16 April 2015}} Stringfellow married Bella Wright in 2009. They had a daughter, Rosabella, in 2013 and a son, Angelo, in 2015.{{cite news|url=http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/566431/Peter-Stringfellow-ready-to-become-dad-again-aged-74|title=Lapdance magnate Peter Stringfellow – the 74-year-old who is set to become a dad AGAIN|first=Dominic|last=Midgley|date=26 March 2015|newspaper=Express|access-date=24 July 2016}}

Stringfellow had four grandchildren: Taylor, Jaime, Thomas and Teddy.{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/peter-stringfellow-nightclub-tycoon-dies-aged77-h0ncj7zgk|title=Peter Stringfellow, nightclub tycoon, dies aged 77|first=Duncan|last=Geddes|access-date=31 January 2020|website=The Times}}

Stringfellow lived in Gerrards Cross, Cheadle Hulme{{cite web|url= https://ilovemanchester.com/farewell-peter-stringfellow-the-man-behind-the-manchester-nightclub-like-no-other|title=Farewell Peter Stringfellow – the man behind the Manchester nightclub like no other |first=Ray |last=King|date=7 June 2018}} and in Mallorca.{{cite magazine|url=http://amp.timeinc.net/celebsnow/celebrity-news/peter-stringfellow-margaret-thatcher-once-came-to-my-club-661412?source=dam|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180110174600/http://amp.timeinc.net/celebsnow/celebrity-news/peter-stringfellow-margaret-thatcher-once-came-to-my-club-661412?source=dam|archive-date=10 January 2018|magazine=Now|title=Now meets Peter Stringfellow: 'I'm so loved up with my wife Bella!'|date=21 April 2017}}{{cite news|url=https://metro.co.uk/2018/06/07/peter-stringfellow-net-worth-three-wives-four-children-strip-club-empire-dies-following-cancer-battle-7612512/|title=Peter Stringfellow net worth, three wives, four children and strip club empire as he dies following cancer battle|newspaper=Metro|first=Amy|last=Duncan|date=7 June 2018}}

Stringfellow was a donor to the Conservative Party and supported a UKIP candidate in 2012,{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17689470|title=Peter Stringfellow backs Ukip in London council by-election|date=12 April 2012|work=BBC News|access-date=24 July 2016}} but he publicly disavowed the Conservative Party in 2018 over Brexit, stating that the "price is too high". He said he would support the Liberal Democrats if the Conservatives' advocacy of leaving the European Union continued.{{cite news|last1=Cecil|first1=Nicholas|title=Peter Stringfellow ditches Tory party in Brexit protest|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/lapdance-king-peter-stringfellow-ditches-conservative-party-in-brexit-protest-a3737561.html|access-date=7 June 2018 |work=Evening Standard|date=11 January 2018}}

Stringfellow was treated for lung cancer in 2008, but was healthy until he was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in late 2017.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/06/07/nightclub-owner-peter-stringfellow-dies-battle-cancer/|title=Peter Stringfellow dies aged 77: 'King of Clubs' loses cancer battle|first=Danny|last=Boyle|date=7 June 2018|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=8 June 2018}} He died on 7 June 2018 at the age of 77, at King Edward VII's Hospital in London.

{{Reflist}}

• {{cite web|url=http://www.angelsclubsoho.com/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160110120624/http://www.angelsclubsoho.com/|archive-date=10 January 2016|website=Angels Soho London (Official Website)|title=The Club}}
• [http://www.stringfellows.co.uk/ Stringfellows Covent Garden Official Website]
• {{IMDb name|nm1266745}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Stringfellow, Peter}}

Category:1940 births

Category:2018 deaths

Category:20th-century English businesspeople

Category:British Merchant Navy personnel

Category:Businesspeople from Sheffield

Category:Conservative Party (UK) donors

Category:Deaths from lung cancer in England

Category:English expatriates in Spain

Category:Nightclub owners

Category:People from Burngreave

Category:Strip club owners

Category:UK Independence Party people