Philip Hardy
(20.02.62-09.12.15)

Philip was born Philip Mark Hardy in Birkenhead on the 20th February 1962 to parents Barbara and Phil Hardy. He was the eldest of their three children- Karl, his younger brother and sister Leanne. They lived in the family home in Wallasey from where he attended school, first of all Park Primary, then Summerville Middle and then Mosslands. He did well in his academic work and excelled at sports, especially football. Being a good ‘all rounder’ seems to have equipped him well for the many and varied jobs and interests that he pursued in different fields throughout his life – it seems he could turn his hand to virtually anything. Later in his childhood the family moved to St Stephen’s Road in Prenton.

Philip’s childhood was a very happy one. He belonged to a close, caring and loving family and he enjoyed family holidays and carefree days playing with his family and friends.

When Philip left school he began an Apprenticeship as a tool-maker with a company called Simon VK in Greasby. Unfortunately, he was unable to pursue a career with VK, but this didnt deter him and was actually the catalyst that lead to the real beginning of his varied and colourful life's journey. He looked for and seized a series of opportunities that came his way leading him into various jobs at home and abroad, sometimes working for others and sometimes working for himself.

First of all he headed for the South of France and spent a couple of years working as a site engineer in a camping and caravanning resort in St Tropez. Following on from there, he became a Club Rep and bar worker/manager at various holiday hot spots around Europe, taking him to places such as Ibiza, Greece, Portugal and Spain.

The work, the challenges, the people he met along the way coupled with his lovable personality, meant that he not only gained knowledge and experience to take on the next phase of his journey, but he also made and maintained lasting friendships with people from all over the UK and Europe and many have travelled far and wide to be here today in his honour. All this led to him buying Waves Bar in the Algarve in the late 1980's. This is where he spent virtually all of his summers for the next 20 years and was a massive part of his life. The winters were spent running Le Boom nightclub in the French Alps where his mum even learned to be a barmaid! In amongst all this, when he did get any time at home, he even found some time to do a bit of djing "on the side." He was never one to sit still!!


As a result of his club-repping days he was approached, in the early noughties by Channel 4, who were making a documentary about Club 18-30s holidays In the 80s.
It was through this experience that he met Roz, the director of the programme and subsequently entered into a relationship with her. On the 13th August 2011 he became the proud father of his beautiful daughter Romilly.


Romilly was the apple of his eye and definitely a 'Daddy's' girl. They loved spending time together just doing fun things. Even at the tender age of 4, Romilly seemed to share his love of old cars and in particular, his e type Jaguar which she called her own from her first ride in it! Following again in his footsteps, Romilly shares her dad's love of water and one of Philip's proudest moments was when he taught her to swim, quite an achievement for such a little one!

During his time at home from abroad, Philip was quick to start up other projects, to not only make money, but to add to his "empire". He began helping his Dad with his washing machine sales and repair business and then he began hiring out washing machines across the Northwest. He also bought his first house and decided he would renovate it and rent it out, rather than live in it. The landlord profession then became the main focus of his career as he spent more and more time at home buying and renting out houses.


Over the years Philip has done many things to relax and unwind when not working. He enjoyed playing football and played as a young man and also as a ‘veteran’- for the Bronze Club in Wallasey and he was of course a keen armchair supporter of Everton Football Club. But he was active in other sports too such as boats, water skiing and snow ski-ing – as we have said, not only could he pretty much turn his hand to anything but when he did so he was so good at it.

If he wasn't already busy enough, in the last 10 years, he also worked for an engineering company around the Northwest, helping them out operating and maintaining boilers and energy systems. This was a totally new challenge for Philip, yet as with everything he ever did, he rose to it, was successful, well respected and made many more friends.


In more recent times, he met his current partner, Beth, by chance, during a short visit to Portugal.

Philip had a busy and active life throughout and he was rarely if ever ill, which is why, on the 9th December 2015, it came as such a dreadful shock to lose him. If there can be any comfort, it was that his family and partner Beth, were at his side.

His passing has left a huge ache in the hearts of his family and friends and all those who knew him and loved him. The manner and timing of his passing has left them numb but they will never forget what a truly remarkable man he was. He might have been a bit of a Dell –boy, ‘jack of all trades’ type, (though never as smartly dressed!) but he was every bit as entertaining and bright. When he saw an opportunity he seized it with both hands and his life has in many ways has been one great big adventure. He had a wonderful sense of humour and was someone who was greatly loved and will be greatly missed by all. Though gone from their presence, he will never be gone from their memories and thoughts and most of all their hearts.