After the recent story from Ray in Australia, we now have a comical tale from David who was a Thompson rep in the 70s....any more stories out there?
Hi again Jackie, it’s the Thomson Holidays man again!!
So Mariano liked the old stories you published about Llloret, well as reps we didn’t have so much time free for the bars but life was full of “Incidents”.
THE NIGHT THE SAN MARTI PARK CAUGHT FIRE....
In the winters of the 70s Lloret had loads of pensioners for long stays (Up to 3 Months) at the San Marti 1 & 2 with Thomsons.
One night 8pm there was a departure for Gerona Airport (Night flights were cheaper to operate) but knackering to do! I was in reception early sorting out the old dears and their suitcases when a guest came rushing up to say the top floor was on fire! Me and another rep Sara didn’t think just rushed up the stairs to, right enough find the corridor full of bellowing smoke, we ran along the corridor bashing doors to make sure no one was asleep or in their rooms, I kicked in one door grabbed a quilt from the bed shoved it into the bath to soak it (Seemed it was a good idea as they always did it in the films?) put it over my head and shoulders and then kicked in what was left of the door where the flames and smoke were coming from. By this time hotel staff had cautiously appeared from their dinner and a lonely Guardia, we grabbed the bed mattress which was full blaze and chucked it out the window into the swimming pool and just stood there on the balcony gasping for clean air, mean while the street was filling up with people shouting “DONT JUMP THE FIRE BRIGADE HAVE BEEN CALLED” we were falling about trying to laugh but coughing our guts out at the same time.
Down stairs the coaches were waiting to go to the airport and it was too late to get anyone else to take our places so looking the worse for wear (Thomson reps had white jackets?) not so now, but very smelly and somewhat dirty we jumped on the coaches, there was a very generous round of applause from the departing guests but the new arrivals that night were heard to say “These Thomson reps are a bit scruffy” well we couldn’t really say your hotel has been on fire tonight could we?
Oh and the reason for the fire.... the old man whose room it was felt cold so when he went for his dinner he put the portable tea making element in the bed to warm it up a bit.
If your dear followers liked this one then maybe I might be able to recall, The Shooting at the barbeque or the day I buried one of the guests (she was dead) but being Christian there was no vicar .
Regards David