On the Spot with Andrew Argyle

In my "gap year" I worked at the old Corona soft drinks factory, in Tamworth, bottling Coca-Cola.

If you were not in your present job, what would you do?

I used to say I would be a singer/songwriter but then changed it to a successful singer/songwriter. I can neither sing nor read music, let alone write it. It all boils down to incredibly awful, but fulfilling, bursts when I am alone in the car and listening to the radio.

What would be your ideal day away from the office?

Probably a clich, but a day with my wife, Kim, visiting somewhere beautiful in England and taking in a perfect pub lunch. Tact would be needed to avoid any shopping, mind.

Name one person you would like to have dinner with, and why?

There are many but, if pushed for just one, I would opt for the Queen. The food and service should be pretty good and the conversation fascinating if Chatham House rules applied.

What was your best subject at school?

History. Throughout my school career I was fortunate to have had excellent history teachers who brought the subject to life.

What are your hobbies?

Very amateur golf, horse riding and skiing – none of it for public viewing.

What is your favourite garment?

For sentimental reasons, I guess it must be a very old and holey jersey which I always liked and which I wore a lot in a BBC reality show that my family and I took part in.

What would you do if you won the Lotto?

Go on a 12-month world tour and then set up and run a charitable foundation to make a real difference in the lives of others. My wife and I have planned this frequently from our virtual Mediterranean yacht.

What is the best thing about being in business in Yorkshire?

It's not London. I have found everyone very welcoming.

What was your worst mistake?

During my early years of practising as a solicitor, waking up during a long, dull and warm mediation to see my client giving me a bewildered look as he evidently had no wish to pay an exorbitant hourly fee for me to sleep. Whoops...

What would your epitaph be?

He always tried his best to do the right thing.

Andrew Argyle is chief executive of Zenith Barristers Chambers in Leeds.