Island Life Magazine Ltd February/March 2009 | Page 112

life

LOCAL BUSINESS

Harlequinn keeps
them on their toes
“After the first wedding we
did I had an email from the
groom,” says Scott Tayler.
“It said he’d never been to a
wedding where all the guests
were on the dance floor at the
same time.”
Scott, who with David
Graham make up two thirds of
the band Harlequinn, knows
exactly how to achieve what
the host wants – and it all
comes down to experience.
“If you know what you’re
doing it works. When I’m
singing, Dave will already
be thinking about the next
number, and Lorraine or Polly
the next one. You keep the
tempo going or everyone sits
down. You can also tell when
its time to slide in a different
beat or change the mood. But
that’s just experience.”
Although Harlequinn is
a relatively new band, its
members have spent a lifetime
in the business. Dave is part
of the Tornadoes, which
had the ‘60s hit Telstar, and
freelances for other bands in
London: his album with Leo
Sayer and Charlie McCoy is
out soon. Scott, who plays
bass and guitar, has worked
with orchestras as well as
with stars such as Elton John

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and Norman Wisdom, and is
“the best hotel entertainer”
according to Dave. As a hobby,
Scott runs a small 24 track
recording studio.
The female part of
Harlequinn alternates between
Polly, who tours with ABBA
tribute group Platinum Blonde,
and Lorraine who was the lead
singer with the Ritz Hotel’s
band.
Harlequinn can do anything
from the Gay Gordons to
U2, a Bob Dylan number
or something from ABBA
. They are the consummate
professionals when it comes to
creating a mood. New Year’s
Eve has to be right – but so
often isn’t. “Some DJs put the
BBC on the mic when it comes
to midnight.” The men look
at each other and chorus: “No
atmosphere!”
“There’s nothing lovelier
than when the dance floor is
absolutely packed and you
know you’re doing your job,”
says Dave. He punches the air.
“YESSS!”
Harlequinn, 14 Grafton Street,
Sandown. PO36 8JJ. Tel:
01983 404949 or 07999541310.
www.harlequinn.co.uk

Beauty meets tradition
with Parkway Joinery
New life is being hammered
and chiselled into the ramparts
of Golden Hill Fort in
Freshwater, and the company
responsible for the joinery of
the high-spec homes being
created is Parkway Joinery.
Somehow you feel sure the
old place is in good hands.
Parkway’s workforce has a
good pedigree: “Most of the
lads have been with us since
they were nippers,” says Lee
Turner, director of Parkway.
“They’ve grown up in the
company, working through
all the aspects of their City &
Guilds training.”
The variety of the jobs
Parkway has had over the
years has given the company
the experience to tackle most
things, large and small. It
has had to meet the exacting
requirements of English
Heritage, having worked at
both Osborne House and
Carisbrooke Castle, and
regularly comes to the rescue
of Edwardian and Victorian
home-owners. “We get requests
to come and measure up for
a new sash window to replace
one blown out by last night’s

storm,” says Lee.
Many of the Island’s older
properties are listed or in
conservation areas, so the
sensitive replacement of sash
windows and doors are a
speciality of Parkway. “Doors
in older properties are never of
a standard size,” says Lee, “so
if people want an odd-sized
door they come to us.”
Staircases, too, are meat
and drink to Parkway. They
frequently make standard ones
for new timber-framed homes,
but also construct spiral
staircases, and now and again
are commissioned to create a
rather grander affair to replace
a sweeping Edwardian one
with intricately carved hand
rails. “Doing listed buildings
or tending older houses is very
satisfying for us,” says Lee.
“We like to keep the old skills
going.”
Parkway Joinery, Ryde
Business Park, Nicholson
Road, Ryde. Tel: [phone].
www.parkwayjoinery.co.uk

The Island's new funky radio station www.wightFM.com