Cllr Alan Amos, a former mayor of Worcester, was on a break in San Francisco when he met the mayor of the US city, Daniel Lurie, by chance on Friday while wandering around City Hall.
The Bedwardine county councillor for Reform UK was admiring the building when he decided to have a peek inside the mayor’s office and, by chance, met the 49-year-old Democrat.
“I just walked in, and there were lots of people sitting at their desks.
“Everyone looked a bit surprised,” said Cllr Amos, a city councillor for Lower Wick and Pitmaston, who explained to the mayor’s staff he was a British tourist.
HONOUR: Cllr Alan Amos, Mayor of San Francisco Daniel Lurie, and Simon Bradley at City Hall (Image: Supplied by Cllr Alan Amos)
Mr Lurie is an American politician and philanthropist who is the 46th and incumbent mayor of San Francisco, serving since 2025 and is also an heir to the Levi Strauss fortune.
Cllr Amos, a former mayor of Worcester, who was with his friend, Simon Bradley, said he was welcomed by staff and then had the rare opportunity to meet the mayor himself.
He described the mayor as very nice and personable.
Cllr Amos, a former MP for Hexham, noticed certain parallels between the way he and Mr Lurie liked to do things as mayor – including an opening and welcoming attitude.
“When I was working in the Mayor’s Parlour at Worcester Guildhall, the door was always open.
“It wasn’t my parlour, it belongs to the people of Worcester. After all, what is the point of a mayor who hides away?” said Cllr Amos.
Cllr Amos, who has been to San Francisco around 30 times, added: “All of a sudden the mayor came out and I recognised him.
“I explained I was an English tourist and asked to have my photograph taken with him. He said ‘yes, sure!'”
Mr Lurie noticed Mr Bradley was wearing an Arsenal football shirt and, to the surprise of both Mr Bradley and Cllr Amos, the mayor said he supported Leeds.