BE LUCKY! 

 Published  April 2003

The Drake and its regulars in an affectionate portrait of a south London community

All that Vi Hutchings wants is to continue playing boogie-woogie piano down at The Drake in Deptford. Despite better times as Shirley London during the Swinging Sixties, in her maturing years she is still up for it.  However Rose and George’s planned retirement to homeland Jamaica is on the cards and might just put a stop to Vi’s regular knees-ups at the pub.

Vi’s mission to keep the tradition of the pub piano alive is also compromised by having to put up with the dubious local talents of Pyjama Man Terry, arch-rival Sheila, as well as bar fly Charlie Spanner and his cronies, who are more interested in who will win the 2.30 at Kempton Park.  Meanwhile Bill has taken a shine to Sandhi and her enchanting bluesy voice while his own band, on a round of dead-end one-nighters, has newly arrived at The Drake to threaten Vi’s residency.

 Fiction/General £5.99                                 Cover design: Lucy Dean