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Flamboyant London club owner allegedly stabbed to death by son Flamboyant London club owner allegedly stabbed to death by son
(about 4 hours later)
The son of a London nightclub owner has been charged with his father’s murder in central London.The son of a London nightclub owner has been charged with his father’s murder in central London.
The body of David West, 70, was found at a residential address, believed to be his home, in Ormond Yard behind Jermyn Street, near Piccadilly on Friday night. A postmortem gave the cause of death as a single stab wound. The body of David West, 70, was found at a residential address, believed to be his home, in Ormond Yard behind Jermyn Street, near Piccadilly on Friday night. A postmortem examination gave the cause of death as a single stab wound. His son, also called David West, 44, was charged with murder and will appear at Westminster magistrates court on Monday.
His son, also called David West, 44, was charged with murder and will appear at Westminster magistrates court on Monday. West senior was a self-styled “lord” who reportedly owned Mayfair nightclub Hey Jo and restaurant Abracadabra, which specialises in Russian cuisine.
The late West was a self-styled “lord” who reportedly owned Mayfair nightclub Hey Jo and restaurant Abracadabra, which specialises in Russian cuisine. He has been described as a flamboyant figure and is said to have bought the title of “lord of the manor of Hollesley” on eBay. He made his fortune selling alcohol from a Calais warehouse called Eastenders, having started in business selling flowers and groceries at Romford market. He has been described as a flamboyant figure and is said to have bought the title of “lord of the manor of Hollesley” on eBay. He made his fortune selling alcohol from a Calais warehouse called Eastenders, having started in business selling flowers and groceries at Romford market.
In 2007, he made headlines after he hired Cherie Blair to mount a legal challenge against the smoking ban. Friends paid tribute to him on Facebook. Mickey Helliet said he was “absolutely gutted” at the death of his longstanding friend.
Friends paid tribute on Facebook. Mickey Helliet said he was “absolutely gutted” at the death of his “longstanding friend”.
He said: “Life is precious and can be snatched away at any moment. I normally go to see Dave and have a couple of drinks with him in one of his clubs at Christmas. I loved going to his clubs. Really going to miss him, a real character. RIP.”He said: “Life is precious and can be snatched away at any moment. I normally go to see Dave and have a couple of drinks with him in one of his clubs at Christmas. I loved going to his clubs. Really going to miss him, a real character. RIP.”
Jelena Gauthier said she was “in utter disbelief”. She wrote: “RIP David West you were always such a gracious host, flamboyant man and a playful soul you will be missed by many.”Jelena Gauthier said she was “in utter disbelief”. She wrote: “RIP David West you were always such a gracious host, flamboyant man and a playful soul you will be missed by many.”
His own website read: “West built a family tobacco business in Belgium with his wife and children. In the 1980s Dave founded a wholesale business on a double decker bus in Calais selling cheap alcohol and cigarettes.”
In 2007, he made headlines when he hired Cherie Blair to lead his unsuccessful legal challenge to the smoking ban, one of her husband’s primary health policies.
He has been described as a longstanding critic of the ban and, speaking at the time, he told BBC Radio Five Live: “What her husband is, is one thing.
“She has a right to her own opinion to pursue her own job and that is to defend the working man.”
He told the Daily Mirror: “There is no room for manoeuvre when the ban comes in. I will be fined £2,500 each time it is breached.
“The only way for patrons to smoke after [the ban] is by going out on the pavement and that could land me in trouble with the police if it creates noise.”