For those who are unaware Starlight is a wonderful charity that grants wishes to seriously or terminally ill children. Rose was involved in a charity event at the Saatchi Gallery at the weekend, with her company Maggie and Rose, and I suggested that Fay and I donate one of the pop-up restaurants in the London Eye as an auction lot. Sarah Dawson at Starlight who helped arrange the event was more than happy to accept. So last Saturday I trundled along to the Saatchi Gallery at the former Duke of York’s Barracks in Chelsea, for the dinner – rather a good one as it happens from the team at Eight Over Eight – and the auction.

There were a dozen lots and ours was near the end. Tension mounted. You never know if these things are going to be a damp squib with no-one bidding. Happily a friend had called me on the way and made a bid at the reserve of £5,500. Yes, I know this sounds a lot, and it is, but these are remarkable one off events and we want to raise a decent amount for Starlight, and for Action Against Hunger, our other charity. So bidding got underway.

It kicked off at £4,000 and was soon to £7,000. Frankly I’d have been happy with that a pootled home. But no. On it rallied: £9,000, £10,000, £14,000, £17,000, £20,000. At this point the room descended into a cacophony of whoops and shrills. I was beside myself with excitement as this was all new to me and I was worried it might not sell. Prince William, on the table to my right, was cheering away. It finally stopped at £23,000 and the room erupted. The biggest price of any lot for the night and a huge success.

Fay bumped into Gordon today at lunch and he is thrilled. What a good man. He’s come in for some stick of late but much of it is undeserved. Sebastian Shakespeare, stalwart editor of Londoner’s Diary, kindly reported the news in his column this evening. No less exciting is that we’ve now managed to secure The Ivy for an extra night so one London Eye capsule will become the most exclusive pop-up of the capital’s most exclusive restaurant for one night only on October 14th.

All bids welcome.