‘King of Clubs’ Peter Stringfellow has died today aged 77 after a secret battle with cancer.
The thrice-married businessman, who has four children aged between three and 55, was famous for his clubs around the world, his army of celebrity friends, his flamboyant clothes and mane of hair as well as the 2,000-plus women he bedded.
Mr Stringfellow had demanded to keep his battle with cancer secret and announcing his death in the early hours of this morning his publicist said: ‘It was kept very private, he didn’t want to tell’.
In 2015 he revealed how he secretly fought lung cancer for seven years despite ‘never smoking in my life’ and said doctors had removed most of a lung and ribs to get to the tumour – but it’s not known if the disease returned or never fully disappeared.
Friends including James Whale said he had ‘grown old disgracefully’ and tributes also poured in on social media with some saying ‘[ST]RIP Peter Stringfellow’ – a nod to his extraordinary and salacious life.
Peter left school at 13 and had a spell in jail before opening clubs in Paris, New York, Miami, Beverly Hills and his eponymous venue in Covent Garden, which will still stay open under his name.
Famously he became the first person in Britain to win a fully nude licence for ‘Stringfellows’ after he successfully argued his dancers shouldn’t have to wear a G-string thong.
The Sheffield-born star entrepreneur is survived by his third wife Bella, 36, a former Royal Ballet dancer he married in Barbados in 2009 when she was aged 27 and he was 68 and have two children – Rosabella, five, and Angelo, three.
Last year he told MailOnline that Bella was the first woman he had never cheated on and spoke openly and proudly about their active sex life as he approached his 80s – and his refusal to have a vasectomy in case they wanted more babies.
He has two other children Karen, 55, from his five-year marriage to Norma Williams and Scott, 52, from his 27-year marriage to Coral White.
Peter Stringfellow (left, with his third wife Bella and children Rosabella and Angelo in 2017) and (right, with Bella in 2012) has died at the age of 77, a spokesman has said
Peter Stringfellow raises a glass of Champagne with a group of women at his club in 1994
Peter Stringfellow at the Bacardi London Club and Bar Awards at the London Hilton Hotel in 2001
Peter Stringfellow on the opening night of the Hippodrome Nightclub, Leicester Square, London in 1983 (left). Pictured (right) is the King of Clubs in January this year – the last time he was seen in public
Mr Stringfellow had been a lifelong Conservative voter and donor who could call on politicians including Margaret Thatcher to support charity events at his clubs.
But he quit the party after the EU referendum and campaigned against leaving the EU.
Lifelong friend James Whale said today that Mr Stringfellow had ‘grown old disgracefully’ – but said he was a clever and generous man.
Giving a tribute today he told Good Morning Britain: ‘He came from a poor background and started a nightclub in Sheffield when pop music was just taking off. He then moved to London and realised that being a personality helped his business. Stringfellows is a club where you feel safe – and where a lot of men also bring their wives and girlfriends’.
Describing his influence he said: ‘One day he called me and said “come to dinner at the club tonight there’s someone I’d like you to meet”. So I went along and thought I recognised the lady next to him. It was Margaret Thatcher, shortly before she died for a charity event, and she loved it there’.
Lizzie Cundy said: ‘The hosted great events at the club – and the stars wanted to be there. Professor Stephen Hawking was in the club. He wasn’t there to talk about the universe. He just wanted to see the girls. He made the club so fun because he was such a wonderful. One of the most, warm, kind, generous people.
‘He would always turn up for charity events. If he said he would be there, he would be there. He was just one of life’s wonderful people – one of life’s good guys.’
The Sheffield-born star left school at 13 and after a spell in prison for stealing and selling carpets went on to become the world’s most famous nightclub owner.
He leaves behind his wife, Bella and four children, Karen, Scott, Rosabella and Angelo.
Announcing his death this morning his publicist, Matt Glass said: ‘It’s very sad news. He passed away in the early hours of this morning. It was kept very private, he didn’t want to tell. He wanted to keep it a secret.’
Three years ago, he revealed how he secretly fought lung cancer in 2008 and was only diagnosed after a mistake by his doctors.
The club owner said he only had the check because he was mistakenly booked in for a full body scan at the doctors.
Stringfellow married his third wife Bella, a former Royal Ballet dancer, in Barbados in 2009 – when she was aged 27.
He was previously married to first wife Norma Williams and the pair became parents to their daughter, Karen.
The nightclub owner also had a son, Scott, with his second wife Coral Wright.
Stringfellow married his wife Bella (pictured together in 2007), a former Royal Ballet dancer, in Barbados in 2009 – when she was aged 27
Nightclub owner Peter Stringfellow with some of the women he was auditioning for a tableside dancing club, Cabaret of Angels, in June 1996
Peter Stringfellow pictured with a group of women at the Southampton International Boat Show in 1997
Fashion Show at Stringfellow’s Nightclub with Lee Major, Kenny Lynch ,Peter Stringfellow & Bruce Forsyth in June 1982
Stevie Wonder & Marvin Gaye talk to Peter Stringfellow at Stringfellow’s Night Club where they performed a late night Set finishing at 5am in June 1981
In September last year, Stringfellow was left with just one nightclub, despite opening several in the UK and America over the past five decades.
The one still going is his original in London’s Covent Garden, which claims to be ‘the most famous gentlemen’s club in the world’.
Stringfellow started in the nighttime trade in the early 1960s and recalled booking acts including The Beatles, The Kinks and Jimi Hendrix to play at his clubs.
In 1980 he opened Stringfellows in Covent Garden in London’s West End and went on to create venues in Paris, New York, Miami, and Beverly Hills.
With its topless girls and exuberant after-hours entertainment, the Stringfellow brand became a byword for debauchery and sexual kicks that echoed of the empire created by late Playboy magnate Hugh Hefner.
Peter Stringfellow with the staff of the Hippodrome in the 1970s. Stringfellow started in the nighttime trade in the early 1960s and recalled booking acts including The Beatles, The Kinks and Jimi Hendrix to play at his clubs
Peter Stringfellow’s 60th birthday party at Stringfellow’s in Covent Garden, with his then-girlfriend Lucy Carr (to his left) cutting a cake made to look like breasts
The mogul said his clubs had hosted A-listers including Prince, Marvin Gaye, Rod Stewart and Tom Jones.
And it was not just celebrities who experienced Stringfellow’s hospitality – Professor Stephen Hawking once joined him for dinner at one of the venues.
He recently closed the Peter Stringfellow’s Angels Soho nightclub because the block was being redeveloped.
Accounts filed for Stringfellow Restaurants Ltd showed the firm was not immune to the impact of global events, even though demand for lapdancing clubs is relatively resilient.
It said the terrorist threat has deterred some visitors, though this was offset by the weakness of the pound, which has attracted foreign tourists to London.
Peter Stringfellow pictured with former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher at a Tory party fundraiser at his Covent Garden nightclub. He was a staunch supporter of the Conservatives and a party member
Born in Sheffield in 1940, Stringfellow was the eldest of four boys who were brought up by the women in his family after the men went to war.
He served a brief prison sentence in 1962 for selling stolen carpets, a sharp lesson which he said put him on the straight and narrow.
In a 2012 article for The Guardian he attributed his entrepreneurial spirit to his ‘feisty’ mother.
He said sex was never a topic of conversation in the house, while his father declined an invitation to visit one of his establishments in his later years.
Tributes pour in for King of Clubs Peter Stringfellow who dies aged 77
Tributes are pouring in for nightclub owner Peter Stringfellow who died, at the age of 77, after a battle with cancer.
The businessman, who had wanted to keep his illness private, died in the early hours of Thursday morning after spending time in hospital, a spokesman said.
His publicist, Matt Glass, said: ‘It’s very sad news. He passed away in the early hours of this morning. It was kept very private, he didn’t want to tell. He wanted to keep it a secret.’
As people woke up to the news, his close friends and celebrity acquaintances paid tribute to the King of Clubs.
Giving a tribute today, his old friend, James Whale, told Good Morning Britain: ‘He came from a poor background and started a nightclub in Sheffield when pop music was just taking off.
‘He then moved to London and realised that being a personality helped his business. Stringfellows is a club where you feel safe – and where a lot of men also bring their wives and girlfriends’.
Describing his influence he said: ‘One day he called me and said ‘come to dinner at the club tonight there’s someone I’d like you to meet’.
‘So I went along and thought I recognised the lady next to him. It was Margaret Thatcher, shortly before she died for a charity event, and she loved it there’.
Calum Best wrote on Twitter: ‘RIP Peter Stringfellow, so many amazing memories I have with this man, from when I first came to UK and he took care of me for years in his club to staying with him and his family in Spain.
‘Rest in peace friend, my thoughts r with ur family. No doubt a legacy will live on.’
TV presenter Kate Garraway said: ‘The ‘King of Clubs’ & a great friend of @GMB #PeterStringfellow has died aged 77. A controversial figure but anyone who actually met him loved him & I can’t help feeling the world’s a duller place this morning. Love & thoughts to his family xxx #rip’
Former boxing champion Frank Bruno was among those to pay tribute.
He tweeted: ‘I met this man a few times over the years. A great guy & king of the discos. My thoughts are with his family.’
Lizzie Cundy told GMB: ‘The hosted great events at the club – and the stars wanted to be there. Professor Stephen Hawking was in the club. He wasn’t there to talk about the universe.
‘He just wanted to see the girls. He made the club so fun because he was such a wonderful. One of the most, warm, kind, generous people.
‘He would always turn up for charity events. If he said he would be there, he would be there. He was just one of life’s wonderful people – one of life’s good guys.’
Stringfellow started in the nighttime trade in the early 1960s and recalled booking acts including The Beatles, The Kinks and Jimi Hendrix to play at his clubs.
In 1980 he opened Stringfellows in Covent Garden in London’s West End and went on to create venues in Paris, New York, Miami, and Beverly Hills.
With its topless girls and exuberant after-hours entertainment, the Stringfellow brand became a byword for debauchery and sexual kicks that echoed of the empire created by late Playboy magnate Hugh Hefner.
The mogul said his clubs had hosted A-listers including Prince, Marvin Gaye, Rod Stewart and Tom Jones.
And it was not just celebrities who experienced Stringfellow’s hospitality – Professor Stephen Hawking once joined him for dinner at one of the venues.
Born in Sheffield in 1940, Stringfellow was the eldest of four boys who were brought up by the women in his family after the men went to war.
He served a brief prison sentence in 1962 for selling stolen carpets, a sharp lesson which he said put him on the straight and narrow.
In a 2012 article for The Guardian he attributed his entrepreneurial spirit to his ‘feisty’ mother.
He said sex was never a topic of conversation in the house, while his father declined an invitation to visit one of his establishments in his later years.
Married three times and a grandfather four times over, Stringfellow is survived by his wife, Bella and four children, Karen, Scott, Rosabella and Angelo.