#BettingPeople: ALAN HURNDALL

#BettingPeople: Recorded in WJ Arment & Son’s traditional pie and mash shop, Walworth, son of an illegal street bookmaker and brother of betting ring legend Johnny Lights, author and journalist Alan Hurndall’s new book, ‘The Kid From The Kiosk,’ tells the story of his upbringing in South East London, some of which he relates in this interview with Simon Nott.

ALAN HURNDALL Part 1 of 4

Alan talks about watching pickpockets at work at Epsom racecourse as an early childhood memory, his upbringing in a tough area of South East London, his dad the bookie and brother Johnny the punter, his mother taking them to Brighton races and trips to the dogs.

ALAN HURNDALL Part 2 of 4

The area of Camberwell where his dad’s kiosk was rife with gangsters and villainy, his dad coming a cropper with a muggy accumulator, his mum saving the day and how he and Johnny took differing career paths both influenced by the kiosk. How the qualities needed for journalism and punting weren’t so different, working on Fleet Street, working with Neil Wilkins and Jonathan Powell and almost joining the on-course Starting Price team.

ALAN HURNDALL Part 3 of 4

How the IRA blowing up the local pub, an elephant running wild in Deptford High Street and a policeman’s murder all featured in his early success, borrowing £100,000 from Johnny to invest in the stock market, just before the ‘87 crash and getting paid £40k to play snooker all day.

ALAN HURNDALL Part 4 of 4

Being called a wanker by Sir Alex Ferguson, being a guest of Lester Piggott at the Lesters and still seeing him get away, being a cable TV pioneer and ‘The Kid From The Kiosk.’