WHEN Rod Stewart arrived in Glasgow ahead of his five-night stint at the Apollo in January 1977, much of the attention was on his glamorous girlfriend, film star Britt Ekland.
She was a Bond Girl, after all, having appeared alongside Roger Moore in The Man With the Golden Gun, and for the most of the 70s, she was one of the most photographed women in the world.
The couple stayed at the Albany Hotel on Bothwell Street, which had been the city’s go-to hotspot for Hollywood stars and pop legends alike since it opened its doors in 1973.
Rod and Britt
Then manager Peter Taylor let the Evening Times into a few secrets of Rod and Britt’s luxury penthouse suite – including a “constant supply of drinks, deep-pile carpets, well-stocked bars and the piece de resistance, a magnificent four-poster bed with all the trimmings.”
Peter told our reporter: “The normal price of bed and breakfast in the penthouse is £63 but for what Rod had we only charged him £48.”
Despite the bargain price, Rod and Britt could not be tempted to stay in Glasgow and they spent only one night at the Albany.
They were travelling with Britt’s young son and his nanny, plus an entourage of bodyguards, managers and publicity staff, and after that short stay in the city centre, they headed to the Turnberry Hotel in Ayrshire.
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Peter Taylor told the Evening Times: “He normally stays with us for the duration of his tour.
“But Britt is with him and they find it easier to go out for walks at Turnberry.”
Britt was born Britt-Marie Eklund in Sweden in 1942, and she shot to fame for a string of film roles in the 60s and 70s, including William Friedkin’s The Night They Raided Minsky’s, Machine Gun McCain and Get Carter.
She is probably best known for her role in British cult horror film The Wicker Man, and of course, in the Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun in 1974. She continues to act on screen and on stage.
Her high-profile social life and her 1964 marriage to actor Peter Sellers attracted considerable press attention.
Her romance with rock star Rod - they were introduced in 1975 by Joan Collins and lived together for a short time – lasted around two years.
Last year, she travelled around India to film the new series of BBC hit Real Marigold Hotel.
She told the Radio Times that while she hated seeing “children sleep on the pavement, surrounded by waste”, she was heartened women are “the backbone of India”.
Britt added: “Once women are past 50, it’s over. It’s still a man’s world. That’s what makes money. But the #MeToo movement showed that things can change and we must never stop trying.”
Did you spot Britt and Rod in town back in 1977? Which other famous faces have you seen in Glasgow over the decades? Times Past would love to hear from you.
Share your photos and stories by emailing ann.fotheringham@glasgowtimes.co.uk or write to Ann Fotheringham, Glasgow Times, 125 Fullarton Drive, , Glasgow G32 8FG.
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