COMMISSIONER,
The British Airways Authority (Miss Marshall) telephoned to say that we were not entitled to the VIP lounge for Lady MacLehose tomorrow and, accordingly, she had cancelled the booking. She had been on to the Protocol Department at the FCO and they had informed her that Lady M was not entitled to VIP treatment unless she is accompanied or met by the Governor himself. She also found out, by the way, that you are not the High Commissioner!
2.
I then spoke to the man in charge of the VIP facilities, a Mr. Baxondale, who said that in this instance he would agree to the facilities being extended to Lady MacLehose, as the mistake was theirs in the first place for taking the booking, and that there would be no charge to us or to the FCO on this occasion. However, in future, it must be understood that this facility is for GOVERNORS, AMBASSADORS, HIGH COMMISSIONERS, ETC. ONLY and not their ladies, unless they are being met by their husbands or are accompanied by them.
3.
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I said that perhaps we could come to some arrange- ment with the FCO who are cutting costs all the time to find out if we could pay for this facility ourselves. He said that this would just create a precedent and the exclusivity of the rooms would be jeopardised. He did not think FCO would agree to this.
14 August, 1980
SYLVIA