Some of the regular punters that went in to see the strippers asked if they could be there, and as much as Tony wanted to say ‘yes’, and charge them for this novel event, Sharon put her foot firmly down.

‘They’ll see them in good time, Tony. They probably know half of them and we neither want our arms twisting into taking on someone they know by doing them a favour nor do we need them poking their noses in and turning it into a free-for-all. If they know them and want to see them, then they can go to the East End and watch them.’ Sharon was defiant. ‘If they get taken on here, they’ll be seen when they have learned a choreographed routine and are dressed the way we like our girls dressed.’ She also thought some of the girls might feel a little intimidated and nervous enough, coming into a club like theirs, without some celebrity audience watching them. That would come later.

‘We can check them out, though, can’t we, Sharon? Surely you want a real man’s opinion?’ asked Jake. He, himself, was curious. He hadn’t been in those pubs in years and wondered what would be turning up through those famous doors.

‘You two, if necessary, can watch from the monitors in your office. I’ll come back in when they’ve done their routines and we’ll go through it together. Is that fair?’

Tony and Jake nodded. They felt like naughty schoolboys being scolded by the head teacher. It all sounded like a bit of fun to them, but to Sharon it was anything but. She was taking it all very seriously.

The time and date were set and, as Sharon had suggested, it was to be a Sunday. That way, no one would lose out on their day’s work.

Tony, Jake, the accountant and even Ashley had been sent off to the office to watch the proceedings on the monitors, there. Their faces dropped as the doors opened and, one by one, the strippers walked in.

They were a real mixed bunch. Some had tried making themselves look younger, by plastering on even heavier make-up than usual, and some hadn’t even bothered to have the roots done on their bleached hair.

‘Bloody hell,’ said Jake, voicing everyone’s opinion, ‘it looks more like Crufts dog show. They are horrible; no wonder you’re gay.’ He grinned at the accountant and Ashley, who took it all in good fun and smiled back at him.

Tony was now secretly pleased that Sharon had put her foot down and made this a closed audition. The last thing he wanted to be was a laughing stock, letting all his regulars see this bunch of misfits.

‘Are you sure, Ashley, that you said to the agencies that you wanted their best girls and not just the ones they wanted to get rid of?’ Tony watched the monitors; there were girls from all walks of life. Some hadn’t even bothered to iron the clothes they were wearing. It was a disaster.