the Orchard ballroom in Purley Surrey was also a great hang out. Wednesday night was the day to go as they had a lot of top groups and bands playing that night. Also had a revolving bar on the or near trhe dance floor. Come dacing on TV originally was broadcast fromthere
The one most frequented by me and my fiancée at that time in our lives was originally The Egg Nest in Hounslow who sold out to Golden Egg franchise. From there Joe Lyons bought to turn it into a Wimpy and then eventually sold it on to United Biscuits Investments who turned it into a medium length leased Chinese restaurant. I cant be 100% certain, but I think the same family still lease and run it as a restaurant and home delivery service.
Young masters Lydon and Simonon have a lot to answer for in my book.
Aww come on LongDriver.
The Clash released some memorable singles and not to mention the first two albums.
Paul was the ladies pin up boy of the band, my girlfriend was quite keen.
I used to frequent the Middle Earth club in Covent Garden but it closed.I think I heard John Peel DJ there before he was big on the radio.
I’m not a big punk fan either,I prefer what came just before and after.
There were lots of transport cafes we used to visit on the bikes that are no more because of the motorways,etc…The Pixie,The Flamingo were two I remember which were certainly not as exotic as they sound.And the First and Last,I think there were a lot of those
Gosh, that brings back memories I used to go there regularly saw lots of famous bands before they were famous
Those pictures don’t represent the Wimpy Bars of the 1960s they were bloody awful. A meat pattie in a bun - nothing else. In comparison I couldn’t believe the hamburgers when I first came to Australia . They had lettuce, cheese, tomato, onions, egg, bacon, pineapple, beetroot and a thick meat pattie just for starters ( used to remove the beetroot)
To be honest I never thought Maccas would take off in Australia because their hamburgers were so poor in comparison to the ones at the local deli or milkbar but I was wrong and they did.
There was a restaurant we knew of but never tried. It was called I.P LOONEY’S
If you showed up wearing a tie, male or female they didn’t care, they would cut it off, right there and then. Many a time, reading in various newspapers, chaos would ensue. However, it was the so-called, “House Rule”.
Plenty fisticuffs ensued and police would be called. You can imagine, it didn’t stay open long. Would have been fun to see the melee and having the chance to sample the food, which never happened. Bummer!
Another interesting bit about restaurants, it’s not a place in particular but one food on offer. As you know in the UK in any Chinese restaurants, sitting, takeaway or delivery, we have the humble “Parchment Rolls”.
Not bad, you’ve to visit and sample quite a few before finding a great entree.
However, in our work-related travels, we found the Canadian counterpart, namely the “Egg rolls” in two styles. Either pinched closed ends or the amazing open-ended ones, served with delish plum sauce… Ooh just thinking about it makes my mouth water.
Hubby and I made a home batch from a recipe booklet from one of these takeaway places. They were divine… Along with the most soft Almond Cookies and of course, Won Ton Soup.
One such take-away, had the option of buying a baker’s dozen egg rolls which came with a tub of plum sauce. By the time we got home, yup that place on the east coast was some distance from home, the egg rolls were devoured lol!
I’ve always wondered what the managers/owners were thinking.
As I was researching online to give links about the restaurant, couldn’t find anything current. So, I guess they went as quickly as they’d arrived with a clean sharp cut lol!
Just remembered one. Farrell’s ice cream parlour. They had these huge ice cream “boats” that you could order for a party that everyone shared. They closed before covid thankfully.
One I had almost forgotten about was Sizzler Steak Houses I think they were another Yank company that, like Starbucks, came and failed here.
Was that the one that was renamed from Electric Garden and took over from UFO Club that the police constantly raided before the owner Hoppy Hopkins was finally imprisoned? It is in my memory and that’s still good at recalling, but I could be wrong
I remember Rheas Ice Cream in Stewarts Park, Middlesborough. Chris Rheas (the rock star) mum and dad used to own it.
Don’t know.We just turned up one night and it was closed.There were always plenty of drugs available in there so I presumed the cops had busted it.Information about stuff was not as available as it seems to be these days.It was a shame because I enjoyed it and stood quite near to Marc Bolan once.
when ya come across a thread like this ya know yuv come to the end of the real world and ya know in desolation zones only!!