Mohamed Al Fayed

Offset

Love him or hate him, he was certainly a character and despite his eccentricities, he came over as an OK guy.  It's a little sad - he lost his son, obviously never got over it and became increasingly embittered his final years by all accounts.

Given we have the likes of Evgeny Lebedev not only granted British citizenship but actually sitting in the HoL, the decision back in the day not to give citizenship to MAF seems increasingly petty.

darthed1981

Nobody should outlive their child, whatever one thought of the man, RIP.

EricTheWeary

He wanted to be the president of an independent Scotland so will no doubt be much missed north of the border. He said that British politicians were corrupt and did much to prove that (bribing them rather than investigative journalism). 

An extraordinary life certainly, RIP. 

axisus

A fascinating character. I always felt sad for him that he lost his son, particularly with the whole mad circus that went on for many years. 

Dominic

Harrods was never quite the same when he turned it into a tourist attraction rather than a department store but it probably wouldn't have survived if he hadn't done that

ICBM

Offset said:

Love him or hate him, he was certainly a character and despite his eccentricities, he came over as an OK guy.  It's a little sad - he lost his son, obviously never got over it and became increasingly embittered his final years by all accounts.

Given we have the likes of Evgeny Lebedev not only granted British citizenship but actually sitting in the HoL, the decision back in the day not to give citizenship to MAF seems increasingly petty.

And I suspect at least partly racist, given that he was really no worse than many of the other 'colourful' (but not in that sense) figures in the same circles at the time.

And while I don't *actually* think Diana and his son were murdered - I think it was a tragic accident caused by grossly irresponsible behaviour by multiple parties, including them - I completely understand why it would have turned him into a conspiracist.

RIP

Offset

ICBM said:

Offset said:

Love him or hate him, he was certainly a character and despite his eccentricities, he came over as an OK guy.  It's a little sad - he lost his son, obviously never got over it and became increasingly embittered his final years by all accounts.

Given we have the likes of Evgeny Lebedev not only granted British citizenship but actually sitting in the HoL, the decision back in the day not to give citizenship to MAF seems increasingly petty.

And I suspect at least partly racist...

I agree.  If Lebedev can sit in the HoL, no reason MAF couldn't.  

Reminds me of what a disgraceful piece of shit Johnson is.  Contemptable arsehole.

swiller

RIP and to all elderly losing their lives in UK today. The latter i suspect present  more admirable lives, struggling with tory austerity, heating their homes, feeding themselves, little social service capacity and dying in ambulances while hospitals cant admit them in a timely manner. Thats if the ambulance turns up in time of course.

Philly_Q

ICBM said:

And while I don't *actually* think Diana and his son were murdered - I think it was a tragic accident caused by grossly irresponsible behaviour by multiple parties, including them - I completely understand why it would have turned him into a conspiracist.

There's still no rational justification for that Michael Jackson statue at Fulham, though.

RIP

scrumhalf

When I worked in property in central London about twenty years ago we were approached to buy a block of serviced apartments owned by one of Fayed's companies. He had an apartment there. There were one or two things that struck us as odd.

Let's just say that there was sound "leakage" from the apartments that the residents were not aware of.

We were approached to buy another of his buildings.close to a certain large shop in SW3. On neither occasion did we buy the property in question. They were massively overpriced, nobody in their right minds would have paid anything approaching the asking price.

axisus

I've never been in Harrods. I turned up one day in the 80s when I was a London Street skater. Big Bauer roller hockey boots slung over my shoulder, Fluorescent shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt. I was turned away by security at the door!

Chalky

swiller said:

RIP and to all elderly losing their lives in UK today. The latter i suspect present  more admirable lives, struggling with tory austerity, heating their homes, feeding themselves, little social service capacity and dying in ambulances while hospitals cant admit them in a timely manner. Thats if the ambulance turns up in time of course.

You deserve many more wisdoms.  As I get older I get very tired of the time and attention given to the death of a famous person.  As if their life was somehow more valuable....