All Shook Up at Easyjet king’s party
BOTH tycoons have chosen to celebrate their birthdays with entertainers from unfashionable parts of London. But while retail billionaire Sir Philip Green plans to have multi-Grammy winning and Tottenham-born Adele singing for his 150 guests, Easyjet founder Sir Stelios Haji-ioannou opted for an Elvis impersonator who performs at Giuseppe’s Italian restaurant in Borough High Street.
Despite the gloomy economic news, both magnates like to push the boat out.
Green’s party is cloaked in secrecy, but Sir Stelios, I learn, held his bash just days before defeat at the hands of the budget airline’s shareholders over an £ 8 million bonus package for executives, which he opposed.
Earlier this month, Stelios — worth £680 million according to the Rich List — was relaxing in the Caribbean with around 100 friends for his 45th birthday.
And the highlight, say guests, was the appearance of ‘Elvis to the stars’ Lou Jordan, who, as well as a regular gig at Giuseppe’s, has sung for the past 18 years at Knightsbridge’s Pizza Pomodoro restaurant.
He was flown to St Barts to give two live performances for Stelios, entertaining around 70 guests, including Ivana Trump, at La Brazil beach club restaurant, followed by a party the next night at the entrepreneur’s villa.
‘People flew in from all over the world,’ I am told. Stelios, however, did not fly them out on Easyjet. But he did put them up at various villas on the island, though Ivana was on the yacht of French fire extinguisher magnate Jacques ‘Tony’ Murray.
‘Stelios is a very generous host and it was great fun,’ says one happy reveller.
However, the party is unlikely to rival Sir Philip’s five-day bash next month for his 60th.
He has hired jets to take 125 pals from Luton airport to an unnamed Caribbean destination.
Like the Cyprus bash for his 50th, each of Philip’s guests has to supply their vital statistics to be kitted out with fancy dress.
Guests are expected to include supermodel Kate Moss, Simon Cowell, property figures Robbie and Vincent Tchenguiz, plus nightclub and restaurant-owning Richard Caring.