American pop legend Neil Sedaka drops in for lunch at Kendal pub (From The Westmorland Gazette)

American pop legend Neil Sedaka drops in for lunch at Kendal pub

9:30am Thursday 11th October 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Steven Bell, Senior Reporter

Neil Sedaka with White Hart landlady Helen Chorley

AMERICAN chart-topper Neil Sedaka was a hit with staff when he dropped in for lunch at a Kendal pub.

The 74-year-old singer - famous for records Calendar Girl and Breaking Up Is Hard To Do - requested mushy peas and carrots to go with his ham, egg and chips at the White Hart, off Highgate.

Landlady Helen Chorley and barmaid Kerry Beastall spent more than an hour chatting to the international star on Tuesday.

Helen said: “He thought mushy peas were very British! He didn’t want to leave and said he wished he could have stayed for the day.

“He was very friendly and so down to earth. There were no airs and graces, he was just a lovely, lovely person. He didn’t talk about himself a lot.

“He had a little walk around the town and said he loved it. He said the reason he was attracted to the pub was all the England flags outside in the yard because he loved English people as they has been so good to him in his career.

“He was very generous, he bought us both a drink and left a £10 donation for charity.”

The New Yorker has sold millions of records in a career which has spanned more than five decades.

He is currently on a 10-gig tour of the UK and stopped off in Kendal on his way between shows in Scotland and Manchester.

But he left his scarf in the pub, so Helen has been in email contact with his management and offered to send it on - along with a White Hart T-Shirt at his request.

Comments(21)

Samlock says...
11:38am Thu 11 Oct 12

*yawn*...

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oceancloud says...
11:45am Thu 11 Oct 12

For goodness sake what do you want the paper to report. A world famous musician/singer/song
writer calls into a local pub for lunch and all you can do is print *yawn* Sad person!

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craggy says...
6:56pm Thu 11 Oct 12

Poor bloke pops in for some lunch and get pawed, mauled and gawped at. He looks very uncomfortable in that photo.

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jett12 says...
10:56pm Thu 11 Oct 12

craggy wrote:
Poor bloke pops in for some lunch and get pawed, mauled and gawped at. He looks very uncomfortable in that photo.

i dont think he looks uncomfortable at all the guy is a star and its a great privelage that he made the effort and went into one of our local town pubs. dont no how you get the idea from that photo that he got pawed mauled and gawped at. i agree with oceancloud its great news.

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hemyfan says...
3:15am Fri 12 Oct 12

What a lovely story. He really is a legend, so many classic songs and is still writing and performing great music. Good for you White Hart.

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Moonbase says...
10:02am Fri 12 Oct 12

hemyfan wrote:
What a lovely story. He really is a legend, so many classic songs and is still writing and performing great music. Good for you White Hart.

I think 'Samlock' has too much time on their hands.....should take up 'Solitaire'.........
.....

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Samlock says...
4:04pm Fri 12 Oct 12

Moonbase wrote:

hemyfan wrote:
What a lovely story. He really is a legend, so many classic songs and is still writing and performing great music. Good for you White Hart.
I think 'Samlock' has too much time on their hands.....should take up 'Solitaire'.........

.....

Spent far too long playing Solitaire... :)

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Moonbase says...
7:14pm Fri 12 Oct 12

Samlock wrote:

Moonbase wrote:

hemyfan wrote:
What a lovely story. He really is a legend, so many classic songs and is still writing and performing great music. Good for you White Hart.
I think 'Samlock' has too much time on their hands.....should take up 'Solitaire'.........

.....
Spent far too long playing Solitaire... :)

Well i suppose it's the only 'Game in town'.......
Try hearts

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Moonbase says...
7:28pm Fri 12 Oct 12

It's like 'Just Brian's' back in town!!!!

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life cycle too says...
1:12pm Sat 13 Oct 12

I would like to have been told if he enjoyed the sound of the Town Hall Bells!

Great story - and despite his first post, one which brought Samlock to post - three times!
Must have had SOME sort of appeal! :)

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LivingInCumbria says...
9:16pm Sat 13 Oct 12

Uh, the poor guy DOES look uncomfortable. He's just a human being like anyone else -- but I suppose everyone wants their 15 mins, eh? Give over.

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craggy says...
9:59pm Sat 13 Oct 12

What will be his lasting memory of Kendal? Slobbery old cougars who will not leave somebody alone to enjoy a quiet lunch I suspect.

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ATOJ says...
5:53pm Mon 15 Oct 12

It's unbelievable and sad that people want to slag off this story. Surely, whether it's Neil Sedaka or plain old Joe Bloggs at least people are stopping off in Kendal rather than passing by! And that's got to be GOOD NEWS.

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