John Gibson: The Tratt was left in good hands

You might wonder why Gordon Scott wasn’t around the other day when he should have been tending the business at Gordon’s Trattoria in the High Street. It’s his place, after all.

In fact he was embroiled in his priority love, golf. He had the clubs out in Puerto Banus. When you can’t do Archerfield, you do PB.

He had left the eaterie in reliable hands. His daughter Daniela has been manager there these last six years.

She’s saying: “My mother Paola Crolla, my dad’s first wife, is part of the Crolla dynasty. My grandfather Domenic was co-founder of Valvona & Crolla, the famous Elm Row deli.

“His brother Victor owned the Trattoria. It wasn’t making fortunes exactly and he’d closed it when my dad, a waiter in the Bar Italia at the time, promised Victor he’d make it work. A promise he fulfilled. The Tratt’s been the place to be late night. The names who’ve hung out there into the wee small hours are countless, some preferred anonymity.’’

A St George’s former pupil, Daniela, 27, plans to marry an Edinburgh Italian, Francesco Marino, next year in Italy. Her sister Nastacia wed there last year, to another Edinburgh Italian. An unforgettable celebration, the swathe of guests have claimed.

Gordon, I hope you’ve got deep pockets.

Can it be true?

. . . That the disaster-prone Cameron-Clegg government is rewarding benefits claimants while squeezing every penny out of the average worker? Too true.You voted Cameron’s mob in, now vote ’em out. It still pays handsomely not to work.

. . . People really do believe stand-up Kevin Bridges is riotously funny. Kevin who?