[Slowhand] Va bene, Eric

[John Mills]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1147503/Old-Slowhand-Clapton-gets-bad-case-blues-crunch.html

Old Slowhand Clapton gets bad case of blues in crunch
By Rupert Steiner
Last updated at 8:04 AM on 17th February 2009

Rock oldie Eric Clapton has a bad case of the blues. Old slowhand is the
latest high profile celebrity hit by the credit crunch.

The guitarist saw his business slump into the red after taking a break from
producing new tracks and hitting the road.

The biggest drain on his £140million fortune, according to latest figures,
is his 47.5m super cruiser Va Bene.

During the goods times, the floating gin palace - which features six
bedrooms, a jacuzzi, a weights room and a crew of 13 - is rented out at a
staggering £179,000 a week. It was recently done up at a cost of £3million.

But the boat was out of the water during the refit and the charter market
has been devastated by the most severe downturn since the Great Depression.
Marshbrook, the business set up by Clapton to manage his interests, saw its
income crash to £4million from £24million, according to the last annual
results.

That resulted in a loss of £671,000 compared with a £2.4million profit 12
months earlier.

Several years ago Clapton paid himself £18.8million in dividends and salary.
But he has taken a haircut in 2008, declining to take a dividend but taking
a wage of £1.5million.