Clinton Settles Disputed Pub Bill
Clinton Settles London Pub Bill After ‘Oversight’
L O N D O N, Dec. 20
President Clinton has settled with British tabloid The Mirror, after he walked out of a London pub without paying — and the newspaper picked up the lunch tab.
The Mirror said today it had received a check for $36.17 from the U.S. Embassy in London to cover the lunch.
But The Mirror, never one to give up a chance to embarrass American officials, ran an article pointing out the check from the American Embassy had come up short.
“He still owes us £3 (about $5) for a tip,” the article said.
Last week, hours after the incident, it splashed its front page with an article headlined: “We Pay Bill for Bill.”
Socks Pays
The Mirror revealed today it had received a letter from Lee R. Lohman, the embassy’s minister-counselor for administration, which read: “We understand that a reporter from the Daily Mirror paid President Clinton’s bill at The Portobello Gold pub on December 14th.
“A copy of the receipt is attached. We appreciate the reporter’s initiative to resolve the oversight. A cheque for £24.70 ($36.17) is enclosed.
“The Embassy would appreciate you reimbursing the reporter.”
Michael Bell, owner of The Portobello Gold, told The Mirror that he had also been reimbursed — by the Clinton’s family cat, Socks.
Bell told The Mirror he received on Monday a $10 bill and a letter which read: “Please forgive me. I thought I’d trained my human better but every now and again I catch him going on the carpet. Hope this settles his tab.”
The Mirror will donate the money from the U.S. Embassy to its Christmas appeal for the Rainbow Trust and Children’s Hospices.
Bell told The Mirror he would also give the money the tabloid initially used to settle Clinton’s tab to charity. He told the tabloid: “I am giving the money The Mirror paid to us, to Amnesty International.”
A Controversial Pit Stop
President Clinton was enjoying his last visit to Britain while still in power when he popped into The Portobello Gold last week for a quick bite to eat.
His order included Cajun Prawns at £6.95, a Chicken Club Ciabatta at £5.95, Aylesbury Duck Liver Terrine at £5.25, and a £5.25 Trout & Pecan Nut Pate, with a half-pint of Pitfield’s Organic Lager.
The story about the leader of the free world stiffing a Notting Hill pub caused a stir in news outlets around the world.
Administration officials initially tried to play it down. After the story was broadcast on ABCNEWS’ World News Tonight, a member of the Clinton administration even called to say the owner said the meal was on the house, and that an aide offered to pay the bill before the president left.
Apparently, the administration official was mistaken.
ABCNEWS’ Svein Michelsen in London, ABCNEWS.com’s Andrew Chang in New York and Reuters contributed to this report.