(The original) Fawlty Towers spared

Torbay councillors have turned down a scheme to demolish the hotel that was the inspiration for Fawlty Towers. Developers had sought to demolish the Gleneagles Hotel in Torquay, Devon, and replace it with a block of 25 flats. . .

John Cleese, Fawlty's creator, stayed at the Gleneagles while filming Monty Python's Flying Circus in 1971 and became fascinated by its owner, Donald Sinclair.

Mr Sinclair is alleged to have thrown Eric Idle's briefcase out of a window, thinking it was a bomb, and to have criticised Terry Gilliam for leaving his knife and fork on his plate at an angle, rather than straight.

Cleese later described him as "the most wonderfully rude man I have ever met".

Posted by David on October 11, 2003 9:01 AM