Ronan Keating @ the 3 Greens restaurant

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nanie

Thursday 10th June 2010

ONCE a hub for film-makers Elstree Aerodrome is still proving it has star potential with a recent flood of celebrity appearances.

The aerodrome’s restaurant, the 3 Greens restaurant, has had celebrities including Ronan Keating, Ricky Gervais, Paddy Ashdown, members of Spandau Ballet, George Michael, and more recently chef Jamie Oliver taking private planes from the air base.

The airfield has this year been open for 75 years and was originally built on 150 acres of land next to what was the Aldenham Country Club.

Private flying continued until the outbreak of the Second World War and during the war Elstree was used as a maintenance and modification base for Handley-Page Halifax and Vickers Wellington bombers.

It is also believed the airfield was used to despatch Lysander aircrafts for clandestine landings in France to drop off spies.

Owner and chef Caroline Whitney took over running the restaurant in October 2008.

She said: “We have recently got a lot of celebrities and politicians, which has been lovely.

“We get quite a lot of plane spotters here but now they can also spot the celebrities.

“I think they may all be using Elstree aerodrome as the landing fees in London are phenomenally high and over here they are a little less or maybe just because it is a little pocket of oasis away from the busy life they have.

“The last person who was in the restaurant was Jamie Oliver who was in here for breakfast a couple of weeks ago.

“Jamie was very lovely with the girls working here and very friendly with everyone. “Ronan Keating was really nice when he was here and also Ricky Gervais.

“I kind of leave the celebrities be and let them eat their meals in peace as I don’t want to appear to be hounding them. I may start keeping a visitors book in future though.”

Historian Paul Welsh said: "Tom Cruise has also in the past used the aerodrome when Warner Brothers put him in a place called High Canons, in Shenley, to film for a Stanley Kubrick film, Eyes Wide Shut.

"They later moved to Pinewood for the production. It's not surprising a lot of celebrities still use the aerodrome."