The mystery of a ‘ghost dinner’ at an Indian restaurant that caused an internet storm has finally been solved, Mail Online reveals.
Retired IT manager Alan Harding has come forward to reveal he is the person eating a chicken korma – not the late husband of a local resident in a Hampshire village.
Lucy Watson had claimed the white-haired man who sat at a table for two was her late husband Harry, who died nine years ago.
He was seen in a short promotional video for the Spice Cottage restaurant in the village of Westbourne, near Chichester and his claim has gone viral despite the restaurant insisting the film was shot earlier this month.
The restaurant’s manager, Rofiqul Islam, posted a tongue-in-cheek message on his Facebook page with a picture of the actual customer, Alan Harding, 67, to put an end to the mystery.
But now Mr Harding, 67, has admitted he was the man in the video and was having a meal with a visiting friend from Essex.
Mr Harding told Mail Online: ‘I guess I’m the ghost. It’s just amazing how many people around the world have read about it.
“I had no idea until a friend of mine called to say he had read about the ghost restaurant and thought it looked like me.
“I saw the video and of course recognized myself and my friend Kevin Parsons. It’s all pretty funny, but I’m definitely very much alive.
Mr Harding, who lives in the village of Emsworth, said he visits Spice Cottage around half a dozen times a year.
He was at the restaurant on January 16 when the owners filmed diners eating their meal.
Mr. Harding and Mr. Parsons were seated in the middle of the restaurant at a table for two. He said: ‘They do a really good curry and it’s our local place to go.
Ms Watson said her husband (pictured) – who died aged 61 in 2014 – was ‘a distinctive tall man’ who had white hair and wore glasses
Lucy (pictured) had told how she was convinced she had spotted her ‘instantly recognizable’ husband – who was an award-winning journalist and a popular larger-than-life figure in the area
“I remember seeing them filming at the restaurant, but I didn’t think about it. I guess some people really wanted it to be a ghost but unfortunately not.
The restaurant revealed Mr Harding called on Monday evening to say he was the restaurant in the video.
Restaurant manager Rofiqul Islam posted a tongue-in-cheek message on his Facebook page with a photo of a smiling Mr Harding to end the mystery.
He was like, ‘Aloo everyone!
“We have a mattar ghee that we would like to shut down.
‘The photo below is our client who was captured in one of our recent promotional videos. We can confirm that he is not Lucy’s husband.
“As much as we wish our curries would take people out of kormas, sadly that was not the case.
“Our video has spread to all corners of the world, and it was a pleasure to meet the customers who had cumin this week!”
“If you are ever in the village of Westbourne please come by, there is never a dhall moment in our restaurant.”
Alex (right), 39, then came forward to settle the matter once and for all and confirmed that he and his late father were not in the video
Last night Rofiqul Islam, the manager of Spice Cottage insisted the footage had been shot two weeks ago
In her original post, widow Ms Watson asked when the video was taken as she was convinced it was of her husband Harry, a former music journalist.
The restaurant’s Facebook page was inundated with comments from as far away as Tahiti and the Virgin Islands with theories about who the restaurant was.
Soon after, the issue went viral. Some social media users have compared it to the case of Canoe Man John Darwin, who faked his own death in 2002 in a life insurance scam.
Lucy had told how she was convinced she had spotted her ‘instantly recognizable’ husband – who was an award-winning journalist and a popular larger-than-life local figure.
She said her husband, who died aged 61 in 2014, was “a tall, distinctive man” who had white hair and wore glasses.
She added: “I recognized the blue sweatshirt he was wearing and he’s sitting there with his son Alex.”
Alex, a former world duathlon champion who competed for Britain, insisted Lucy was simply wrong
A father of three, Mr Doherty, born in Northern Ireland, won awards for his coverage of The Troubles before moving to England where he relaunched his career as a music journalist, working for the now defunct magazine Melody Maker.
Lucy recounted how the couple occasionally dined at the Indian restaurant when Alex came to visit his father.
She believed the restaurant had posted old images in a bid to attract new customers
Ms Watson’s son Alex, 39, denied it was his father in the video in hopes of ending the mystery.
But Alex, a former world duathlon champion who competed for Britain, insisted Lucy was simply wrong.
He said: ‘It’s not him and it’s not me. When I opened my laptop, it’s completely obvious. Anyone who knew my father would know right away.
“The guy in the video looks like he’s bald to begin with. He has side hair but is bald on top. The guy in front of him is older than me.
“I’m sorry about the restaurant. They did nothing wrong and it all continues.
Alex, who now lives in Worcestershire, said he had not been in contact with Lucy in recent years. He added: “I don’t know what she’s thinking.”
Harry’s daughter, Kiera Doherty, 40, also told MailOnline: “The person in this photo is 100% not Harry Doherty.
“The person in front of him is definitely not my brother either. In fact, it is very very clearly neither.
Mr Doherty, who was born in Northern Ireland, won awards for his coverage of The Troubles before moving to England, where he relaunched his career as a music journalist working for the now defunct magazine Melody Maker.
Among the bands and artists he championed as they tried to break into the big time were Thin Lizzy, Kate Bush, 10CC and The Boomtown Rats.
He then founded his own rock magazine and became friends with Queen guitarist Brian May after he wrote an official book about the band.
May sent floral tributes to the rock writer’s funeral following his death in April 2014.
