Natasha Reddington-Romanov [Photos: Tracy Kawalik]

TRIBUTES have been paid to an “icon” of Soho, a glamorous Greta Garbo-like figure who lit up the bars and clubs where she loved to dance and party the evenings away “dressed to the nines”.

Natasha Reddington-Romanov, 55, was reported missing last Tuesday after she did not turn up to work at The Guinness Partnership housing association.

A missing person investigation was immediately launched by the police but, on September 21, officers discovered her body in the River Thames, close to Vauxhall Bridge.

A close friend, Tracy Kawalik, told Extra that Natasha was a “talented storyteller” and “star dancer” who had worked at the legendary Madame Jojo’s venue and also held a profound connection to Trisha’s jazz club.

She recalled how she liked to wear her floor-length mink coat from September onwards, a tiara on her birthday, and had the power to “light up every room she walked into”.

Ms Kawalik said: “She was just absolutely vibrant and vivacious and incredibly glamorous. She was just like Greta Garbo and Joan Collins.

“She was stunning and you would never see her with her hair out of place and not dressed to the nines. She always looked fantastic. She was a real proper character, she was very funny, a proper conversationalist, she could hold a conversation with anyone about anything. She loved fashion, she was always talking about it. She was a Soho girl, always around performers, singers, piano players, everyone. She had that sort of spark about her.”

Ms Kawalik said Ms Reddington-Romanov was synonymous with Soho, and that she loved a night out dancing the evening away.

She said: “She was a dancer at Madame Jojo’s, I think one of the star dancers really and she was also best friends with Trisha (the owner of Trisha’s).

“She was woven into Soho, a real icon. Everywhere adored her, all the people who met her, all the bars, knew her. She was very loved by the neighbourhood.

“She was just a blast… so much fun, she was always the last woman standing, you know she could party with the best of them for days on end. She was a fantastic dancer… such a good time.

“She loved to drink, gossip and smoke, we would always love to sit and just put the world to rights together. She had all these fantastic stories of hanging out with celebrities and of fashion and all sorts of things. You had no idea whether they were true, but they were just so fabulous so it didn’t really matter much.

“We had some amazing nights together, out on the town. We had this fantastic birthday of hers one year just dancing. She had this birthday tiara and she wound up everybody telling them we were going to be on the next season of Ice Road Truckers, because I’m Canadian, and everyone believed her and were asking for our autographs.”

Ms Kawalik said Ms Reddington-Romanov was a hard worker and never missed a day of work at her job at The Guinness Partnership.

Ms Kawalik said of her friend: “She was so incredibly loved at work. She gave it a good run at night time, but she was always at work the next morning, she never missed a day at her day job as an office manager. She was a really hard worker.”

She added: “I guess what’s heartbreaking as all of us know, sometimes you can be the loudest person in the room, and the favourite person in the room, but you know, it’s very quiet when you’re on your own.”

A statement from Trisha’s in Greek Street said: “Our Natasha Reddington-Romanov. Soho icon, showgirl, forever and always in our hearts. There will never be another one like you… the streets of Soho will be forever less glamorous. We love you so very very much. It is beyond words to express how much insurmountable gratitude I personally have for everyone who has helped us search for her and showed the outpouring of love and support she deserved.”

Ms Reddington-Romanov is believed to have had dinner in Chinatown before going for a drink with friends in Little Italy on the night of her disappearance.

Pink News reported that she had left the jazz club Trisha’s around 1.30am on the day of her death before going with a group to the Raincall bar before heading home.

The Guinness Partnership said: “Natasha was a wonderful woman whose kindness and warmth lit up every room and she was much loved by everyone who knew her. We all feel a deep sense of loss at this terribly sad time.”

The Metropolitan Police Service said: “Officers believe that the body discovered is that of Natasha Reddington-Romanov, a 55-year-old woman that had been reported missing from Southwark. Natasha’s next of kin have been informed of this development.

“On Saturday, 21 September, officers were alerted to the discovery of a body in the Thames near Vauxhall Bridge. Work was undertaken to confirm the identity of this person.

“In the interim, Natasha’s disappearance was reported to police on Tuesday, 24 September and a missing person investigation was immediately launched.

“It was subsequently confirmed that the body recovered was that of Natasha’s. The death is being treated as unexpected, but not suspicious.”