Tony Cleary, Founder, Lanchester Wine Cellars

Nov 16 2009 By Andrew Hebden, The Journal

Building one of the country's leading wine merchants and bottling plants has been a lifetime obsession for Tony Cleary. But the boss of Lanchester Wine Cellars has always done it with a smile on his face, as Andrew Hebden discovers.

The Questionnaire

What car do you drive?
Toyota Tundra pick-up truck

What’s your favourite restaurant?
The Pavilion, Iveston, County Durham.

Who or what makes you laugh?
I enjoy watching Peter Kay.

What’s your favourite book?
Anything by Clive Cussler.

What’s your favourite film?
Uncle Buck.

What was the last album you bought?
Shania Twain.

What’s your ideal job, other than your current one?
Motoring journalist.

If you had a talking parrot, what’s the first thing you’d teach it to say?
"Easy on the ice."

What’s your greatest fear?
Heights.

What’s the best piece of business advice you have ever received?
The harder you work, the luckier you get, or surround yourself with people who are cleverer than you.

Worst business advice?
Ignore it, it will be fine. (It never is).

What’s your poison?
New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc or Chilean Pinot Noir.

What newspaper do you read, other than The Journal?
Daily Mail.

How much was your first pay packet and what was it for?
£12 4shillings 0d for driving a tractor on a farm.

How do you keep fit?
I don’t (refer to photo).

What’s your most irritating habit?
How long have you got?

What’s your biggest extravagance?
Yahama jet boat.

Which historical or fictional character do you most identify with/admire?
Christopher Columbus for his vision.

And which four famous people would you most like to dine with?
Peter Ustinov, Penny Smith, Steve Bruce, Michael Caine.

How would you like to be remembered?
I hope I did it right.