You've got Roman but we've got Vlad

Matt Hughes|Evening Standard|In Scarborough

13 April 2012

Roman Abramovich may have turned down the opportunity of spending a weekend in sunny Scarborough, but there will still be a Russian presence when Chelsea come to town tomorrow.

Any Chelsea fans wanting to settle their nerves before the potentially awkward FA Cup fourth-round tie should pop into Vladimir's Red Square, a Russian-themed bar owned by a Moscow-based oil trader yards from Scarborough's bracing seafront.

Vladimir Kishenin spent most of this week calling Abramovich's office in Moscow in an attempt to secure a visit from the Chelsea owner but yesterday received the message he had been dreading: Russia's second richest man would not be dropping by for Bed & Breakfast.

Like Abramovich, who has chosen to remain on a family holiday aboard his luxury yacht, Kishenin is all at sea. Speaking from the Moscow headquarters of his investment company, LanRusinvest, he said: "I'm disappointed that Roman cannot come and I too will be staying in Moscow. But I still hope that some people from Chelsea will visit my bar and have a great day out in Scarborough."

It may be just as well that Abramovich is elsewhere as Red Square could provoke some painful memories. As well as lethal cocktails the bar serves as a visual reminder of the Soviet Union's glorious past, offering more hammers, sickles and red stars than the 10th Party Congress. The walls boast busts of Lenin and Marx, who would both no doubt shun Chelski and support

Scarbororough's more proletarian cause if they were alive today.

Locals have flocked like the town's famous seagulls to drink in Red Square's unique atmosphere, but the history lesson appears to have been lost amid an alcoholic haze. A local newspaper competition to name the five Soviet leaders whose faces hang above the bar failed to provide one correct entry. Everyone forgets Brezhnev, poor lamb.

Kishenin is one of that select group of Russians who have accumulated riches beyond their wildest dreams in the post-Soviet era, but he is quite not in Abramovich's league.

The multi-millionaire is an avid supporter of CSKA Moscow but has no plans to invest in football.

He said: "I do not have the kind of money to buy a football club. Roman knows how to invest money better than me. If anything I would like to invest in Russian football but nothing has happened yet.

"I come from a military background so support CSKA and will think about it, but want to see their results first. I respect England but Russia is my motherland and closer to my heart."

Although a takeover at Scarborough is out of the question, the town's answer to Abramovich will be cheering on the Seagulls tomorrow.

Kishenin added: "I come to Scarborough quite often and want them to win absolutely, they are the only team for me. If luck and God is on their side then you never know. If you have a strong enough ambition to win then you can always win."

While Kishenin concentrates on trying to attract new money to Russia, Red Square is in the capable hands of Rod and Nelli Rees, a husband and wife team, half-Scarboroughian and half-Muscovite.

The couple met when Rod was working as a financier in Moscow a decade ago, but returned to Scarborough in 1999 to run Red Square and the adjoining Beiderbecke's Hotel, named after legendary American cornet player of the 1920s Bix Beiderbecke. Nelli also enjoys a profitable sideline as a new jazz singer and her debut album, Jazz Noir, reached No19 in the Virgin Dance chart last year.

Rod said: "I suggested to Vladimir that he bought a hotel and ended up running the place, so I don't think he could handle a football club. You should ask Roman Abramovich to buy Scarborough, perhaps he needs a feeder club? Vladimir invited Abramovich to stay in the hotel, but unfortunately it wasn't possible."

Scarborough has talked of little else than the match all week and will party all night whatever the outcome tomorrow.

Rod said: "January is a dog of a month but I've never seen people so energised. It's galvanised the entire town in an unbelievable way.

"We're a Russian-owned hotel so I hope there isn't an anti-Chelski backlash from the locals, but Scarborough could sneak a draw.

"They're not a bad side and Chelsea haven't been doing too well recently. If Scarborough win then our Seagull Surprise cocktails will be on the house."

Nelli added: "Our hearts are behind the lads. The weather is boring and the season is over so it's great for the town to have all this excitement."

The Reeses are not the only Russophiles resident in north Yorkshire. Scarborough chairman Malcolm Reynolds used to work in Moscow for an Austrian bank and speaks some Russian.

He knows many of Abramovich's peers within the oil and gas industry but has been denied the business opportunity of a lifetime.

Reynolds said: "I can order in a restaurant and say, 'Welcome to Scarborough', but I'm not exactly fluent. I know some of Roman's people and it's disappointing he's not coming but I know better than to try and do business at the game. Tomorrow is all about football and we're anxious that everyone from both clubs enjoys themselves.

"Funnily enough I was in the Metelitsa Casino in Moscow when I decided to get involved at Scarborough. We'd just lost 6-1 at Hereford and two weeks later I'd taken over the club. I know plenty of Russian oligarchs but have never detected any interest in football, least not Scarborough Football Club. I think they'd be looking for something far more glamorous."

Scarborough may not offer glitz and glamour but, short of shipping in sushi from Nobu, the club have done everything in their power to make the visitors feel comfortable. Plans for a good old-fashioned Yorkshire fry-up, though, have been jettisoned.

Reynolds said: "Our physical space and amenities are limited but we're doing the best we can. We're not being over-ambitious and have to work within our means.

"We were going to go all brunchy but it gets complicated when scrambled eggs are involved so we've chosen a high-quality finger buffet."

Boro fans will be hoping that Chelsea millionaires get egg on their faces, while they enjoy the refreshing taste of a Seagull Surprise.

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You've got Roman but we've got Vlad

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