Romper Suit

I think Gorillas are a bit more interesting than Daleks, never having been a huge Dr Who fan said Colin Cameron – Percy Fox

The drinks business: Percy’s a bit of a funny name for a fox isn’t it?

Colin Cameron: Suffice to say that it was actually named after a chap called Thomas Percy Fox. I don’t know why he didn’t call it Thomas Fox, perhaps Percy sounds a bit more characterful. We have certain customers who will call up and say they want to speak to someone called Percy Fox, which always sends a ripple of laughter around the office.

db: And as for you: fox by name, fox by nature?

CC: Not at all; something more sedate and sociable, a badger or something – equally as cunning I’m sure, but not exactly foxy.

db: What’s your favourite children’s book?

CC: Having young children Gruffalo has to be a favourite, and there’s also Gruffalo’s Child which is the sequel. It’s a made-up creature but they’re lovely stories.

db: What was the last thing you cooked?

CC: That was a barbecue last weekend – steak, sausages and I put one of those boxes of Camembert on the barbecue so that it melted and you can dip bits of bread into it. Drizzled with olive oil and pepper it’s delicious.

db: Yum. Are you a good cook then?

CC: No! I’m afraid I normally just warm things through; my wife does all the technical stuff. Although I did get a degree in hotel and catering management and spent some time as a chef in a four-star country house hotel. My mother thinks I must be a wonderful cook, but little does she know I’m actually crap.

db: What is your least favourite food?

CC: It has to be anchovies; I really can’t do anchovies. In fact, when I order a caesar salad I have to ask for the anchovies to be taken out, which takes away the whole purpose of a caesar salad I guess, but never mind.

db: What colour socks are you wearing now?

 CC: Smart casual as I am, it’s conservative dark blue today. I don’t think I’d get away with flip-flops.

db: Name three things in your desk drawer?

CC: A tube of Smarties to share round the office to give a bit of energy, a pair of Pommery cufflinks in case I ever run out of cufflinks at the crucial time, and a memory stick for a laptop.

db: Which are better, gorillas or Daleks?

CC: Well I’d say gorillas, never having been a huge Dr Who fan. I think they’re a bit more interesting, more intelligent.

db: Give us a fascinating fact from your wealth of knowledge.

CC: My favourite animal has to be an otter – I don’t know why but it always has been – and the collective noun for a group of otters is a “romp” of otters, which I think is fantastic because when you see them they’re sort of romping around and having such great fun.

db: If you had to go back to school which subjects would you take for A level?

CC: I would probably just do the same that I did last time, English, French and Economics – all very useful.

db: If you could be reincarnated who would you like to come back as?

CC: Actually I’m pretty happy with my life. I think I’d come back as me again, perhaps a bit slimmer that’s all!

db: We haven’t asked this one for a while but recently an old argument has resurfaced… is a Jaffa Cake a cake or a biscuit?

CC: Ahh, the perennial question. I’ve always considered it to be a cake – to me it’s very much a singleserve cake.