It has grown into such an important role that nobody wants to follow it. After all, coming after the Lord Mayor’s show is now in the dictionary as a synonym for an anti-climax, a mundane event which happens after a magnificent occasion. Alastair King laughed at the mention of it and few people are better placed to speak about this subject than this 55-year-old Aberdeenshire stalwart who talked about growing up in the north east of Scotland and relishing his early experiences.
He still splits his time between London and Strathdon – and visits relatives in Banchory and Aboyne – but his calendar promises to be as jam-packed as a Keiller’s factory. And that’s because Mr King is about to take over as Lord Mayor in Britain’s biggest city. Everybody knows the story of Dick Whittington, who lived in the days of Edward III and travelled to London with his cat expecting to find the streets “paved with gold”.
However, as in so many other cases, it’s a myth. The real Richard Whittington did not hail from a poor family and there is no compelling evidence supporting the stories about his feline companion. But, none the less, he was a distinguished Lord Mayor.
Alastair is the Sheriff of London Yet what most definitely isn’t a myth is that Mr King has worked tirelessly for many years, first gaining a position as an alderman – a directly elected role – and subsequently graduating to becoming the Sheriff of London last year. And what’s more, he has done it in the comp.