I never ‘lived’ in London - I worked in London by way of a rented studio flat.
BrazenHussy0 - I appreciate and understand all of your comments. I worked with, met and know lots of independents (still know lots) and I’m not here to justify my reasons for working for an agency. I rarely met clients who were coked up or drunk as the agency knew I wasn’t a party girl (someone who does coke etc) and because agency policy precluded inebriated bookers.
I want to clarify my back to back comment too (as my mumsnet friend who told me about these threads and suggested I do my own, said it was confusing!). When I worked I did a 12-14hr ‘shift’. My typical day would go something like this, and as you see I’d always have a minimum 30mins between clients:
11am - 1hr I call in my studio flat
12.30pm - 2hr incall
5pm - 1hr incall
7pm - 4hr dinner date (out for dinner and then back for sex; sometimes at mine but mostly often at their Hotel as lots of business men booked these)
12/1am - 1/2/3hr (often they’d book 1hr and then extend!) incall
I also used to see a number of people that worked funny hours so would be finishing work at midnight for example.
The point I’m making BrazenHussy is that I was catering to a (very) different client base to yours. I’m glad it’s working out for you being independent and that you’re happy and have a good regular client base. So did I - nearly all my clients after my first year working were repeats (regulars). Doctors, surgeons, professors, judges, company bosses, and yes, a few high profile (but not really famous!) clients too.