Barbary Coast
 

All this talk of pubs has reminded me - does anyone remember the Barbary Coast in Blackburn. I think there were about 5 pubs, the Wheatsheaf and the Dun Cow being two of them. I think there was one called the Sun, and perhaps the Castle was another one. It was always known as a very racy area, the "ladies" used to stand at the bar of the Dun Cow with the prices written on the soles of their shoes! They must have had a full time job inking them back in, the number of times they were in and out of the pub. A group of us used to go down there for devilment - we thought we were really seeing the high life! There was also Yates Wine Lodge in Blackburn, can't remember whether it counted as part of the Barbary Coast, but it sure was rough!

Re: Barbary Coast
 

I think pendy you might mean the Dunn Horse, but I can't be sure I always went to the Wheatsheaf!

Re: Barbary Coast
 

it was the dun horse! the swan the sun and the wine lodge were all virtually next door to each other.two very celubrious pubs around the corner by the post office were the legs of man and the county coarse i don't remember any of these establishments lol;)

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Used to spend a lot of time in those pubs when I was a full time student at Blackburn Tech, they were very handy just around the corner from the Mecca. Yates Wine Lodge, The paint stripper they sold ( Australian Plonk ). Are they all gone now??. There was a knife shop there called Little Sheffield. Lionel Morton had a boutique in Mincing lane I think it was . We used to go in the Vulcan a lot. I suppose a lot of the pubs have gone now, Star & Garter, Adelphi , White Bull, There was a Chinese Restaurant Called the Yinn Kinn above the new Market Hall, The St Johns Tavern was a favourite with the mods. Reid'ys record shop in Penny St. God all this sends shivers up my spine.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Didn't the mecca change its name to the Golden Palms or something like that, I seem to remember palm trees or it could have been what I was drinking :)

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Ah memories. When I was a student nurse at the Infirmary, we used to visit Yates's Wine Lodge to buy their Australian white - foul stuff, but only ten bob a bottle and virtually guaranteed oblivion! I can well remember my friend Judith, still in uniform having just come off duty, leaning against the wall in the nurses home, swigging from a bottle of the awful stuff. As the level in the bottle went down, so did the level of Judith against the wall!

It was Julia Foster, Lionel Morton's wife, who had the boutique. We were talking about it a few weeks ago (she's an antique dealer now), and she has very fond memories of Blackburn.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Hehehe, I also used to go round the Barbury as a student nurse in the 80's. The Aussie white wine never failed to get us drunk. The rest of the pubs were rough but we loved it. I also remember going into the Vulcan before they shut it down. It was full of prostitutes, transexuals and extremely shifty looking people. They had an African Grey parrot in there, which an acquaintance of mine inherited when it closed. She tried to teach it to speak but to no avail. One day at a family party at her house, when the house was full, this parrot suddenly spouted the most obscene language (in a very loud parrot-type voice). We nearly had to pick her grandma up off the floor........ It seems that the parrot adored crowds.:D
Aaaah, happy days..:D

Re: Barbary Coast
 

By the way my mum & dad, Both now in there late 80s said they had a really nice meal in the Old Mother Redcap last week. Also there was a new pub at the time ( early 70s ) I had a few beers in, in Knuzden, but cant remember the name. spent a lot of time in pubs in my youth. good to talk about Blackburn, even though its an Accy site. A few more memories from you all would be great, 60s & 70s. Can we have a forum devoted to surounding towns,

Re: Barbary Coast
 

My friends and I spent many oblivious hours doing the Barbary Coast, We would catch the 7pm bus from accy bus station and did a circular route starting with the Merchants, (Gay bar, very risque at that time) then on to the wine lodge for a dock of aussie white, from there it was the Queens, Peel, Jubilee, Vulcan, Ribblesdale, Sun, Swan, and back to the Merchants for last orders! I have missed a few out as I can't remember all of them. We did this every Friday and Saturday for about 3 years, its a wonder we are still here to to tell the tale.
Who says binge drinking is new?
JB

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Could this (new pub) be the Cabin End, it was built to serve the new estate that was going up if memory serves

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Yes thats the one , Jelly Baby. You have a better memory of the names than me.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

I remember once in the Wheatsheaf, celebrating a friend finally passing his medical finals (God help the patients). Got absolutely rat-a***ed, but nobody noticed until I got up to go to the loo, missed the door by a foot or so, and apologised politely to the wall. So what else is new .....?

Re: Barbary Coast
 

I think this thread, would go very well with the King St thread.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

interesting thread ........I remember them all , especially the old wine lodge , my drink of choice was a glass of Australian red and white mixed , If I remember correctly the place had a bare wooden floor.
The mention of the working girls in the Dunn Horse made me laugh , I think every young lad from the area must have been in there at least once to see if the story about the price written in the soles of their shoes was true.

There was also another good little pub around the corner from the old co-op emporium , on a side street , only one room , opposite what used to be a dance hall (Tony's ? ) think it was called either the Queens or the Grapes

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Spent many a happy hour on the Barbary Coast in the 70's. A particular favourite of mine was the Old Bank which seemed to have a whole cast of interestingly disreputable characters. Although there were some rough pubs down there, they were rough in the old-fashioned way - if you didn't bother anybody, you were left in peace, but woe betide anybody who started taking liberties. Not been down there for knocking on 30 years now. I suppose it's all trendy wine bars and plastic disco pubs, more's the pity.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Couldn't agree more Wynonie, I use to go in the Old Bank quite a lot the Landlord was a mate of mine, He was called Jeff Edwardson, he moved to Accy and had a couple of pubs in the Town, I think one was the Antley but I'm not sure

Re: Barbary Coast
 

no one has mentioned the top hat club, now that was a dive.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

blackburn all but a ghost town now.who remembers coconut grove?

Re: Barbary Coast
 

not if you had a degree in armed robbery.:D didn't really class that as on the "Coast" although the steps were very painful to bounce down.:)

Re: Barbary Coast
 

seem to recall the Castle used to have a good folk nite
weekly think it was mondays ?

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Anyone remember the Legs of Mann? I recall one exciting evening watching two ladies of the night busily engaged in a full and frank exchange of opinion as to whom had first call upon a client. There they were, rolling round on the bare wooded floor, attempting to unsurgically remove each others hair and eyes, when a few of the blokes decided to enliven the proceedings by given them a beer shampoo. Well, with mild at 12p a pint, it was easily affordable. Before they knew it they were swimming in a barrel of the stuff. Unfortunatly, the cops came in and put a premature end to the show. Shame.

Still, halycon days!

Re: Barbary Coast
 

the "Legs" was on the street by the General Post Office,just past the "County" was also frequented by the "Legendary" Bob Cotton, was never a good idea to stare at the guy.;) was talking to a mate of his in spain the other week, still batting, but not very well i was told.;)

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Wine, Dine and Bleed at the Top Hat, used to got up there on Sunday afternoons, they had panel darts on, it was very entertaining:D

Re: Barbary Coast
 

tealeaf,
dont kid me that your old enough to remember a 12p pint.
i know your mother she told me how old you are.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

I remember when it was two bob a pint, but don't tell her that, otherwise I'll be in deep trouble.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Did the Castle become the Dirty Duck or something like that.

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I have a feeling you could be right Alan

Re: Barbary Coast
 

yep it sure did Al.;)

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There was a problem if you (female) drank on the Barbary Coast and bought your shoes at Tommy Balls - where they used to write the price (OF THE SHOES!!) on the sole in biro. Not only could you be beseiged by men looking for the lowest price (I seem to remember the shoes were about 6/6 - i.e. 32.5p), you could be attacked by the ladies of the night for undercutting them!

Re: Barbary Coast
 

straying a little from the thread but i remember a pros in the spread eagle accy early/mid 60s used to have the price on her sole it wern't no tommy balls price either.:D;)

Re: Barbary Coast
 

It was the Dunn Horse............One you've missed......Samse's Vaults.
Landlady 'Nancy'....Would worry rats.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

samses worried cashy, floor was very hard after numerous white wines.:D

Re: Barbary Coast
 

To my eternal shame I was a bit of a regular at the Tophat when very young..only late club me and my mate could get in!..I recall on of the numerous times the council or whomever tried to close it down..they had to re-apply for a drinks licence and the only way round it was to serve food...they did it by serving Hollands pies in a basket with a lettuce leaf!..I'm not joking!

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Cyril Kenyon....always one step ahead of the law..now lives in Thailand. Harry Fenwick comes to mind. :)

Re: Barbary Coast
 

yes I remember Cyril..the times I first went there it was a DJ that played mostly Tamla Mowtown stuff.. this is the early 70's... but up to the 80's it was still the place to go as you were pretty sure to get entry (and as Cashy says if not carefull a quick exit down the stairs) while the other clubs were more fussy.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

I know this is a bit off the Barbary Coast, but I thought I would put it on this thread, Ive been told the old Woolworths building in Blackburn, or its facade has been demolished, What has gone up in its place, I thought it would have been a listed building. Any photos anybody.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

I was surprised too - it was very art deco with a style like the Midland Hotel at Morecambe.
I last went past the building site about 2 weeks ago and nothing had been built there yet. Looks like the widescale demolition is still happening.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

remember the "Blue Star Combo" being resident up the top hat fer a while, a very good local band, a guy i know well was the drummer.;)

Re: Barbary Coast
 

If I remember right cashy didn't one of the Combo die, I think it may have been the drummer, but not sure.
On the Top Hat, I think Cyril also had a place in Colne as well, right in the centre

Re: Barbary Coast
 

not the drummer mate, unless he died since last week, hes the guy i know well, was talking to him outside oddies,;)

Re: Barbary Coast
 

i was a frequent visitor to the Top Hat or flat cap as it was known locally remember being welcomed by the scarfaced glass eyed bouncer. they had a group on on saturday nights called the Blue Star Combo and strippers on a sunday lunchtime allegedly one lunchtime a customer got slightly carried away and tried to mount a stripper no doubt the security staff would have swiftly dealt with him. As for Blackburn Centre today the Old Bank is still open under another name during the day as is the Dun Horse now call Zed bar or something the only old type pub that i know is the Swan the Soamses Vaults is now a pop pub, the most popular daytime pubs seem TO BE The PostaL Order (Wetherspoon) and the Merchants aka Last Orders though i am tol the St. Johns Tavern is also popular regards to all

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Yes the Barbary coast was a good night. We used to start off in The Legs Of Man (this pub did not open on Sundays because it was on Cathedral grounds) followed by The County,Wine Lodge, Dun Horse, Wheatsheaf then followed by The Old Bank

Re: Barbary Coast
 

now thats summat thats bugging me fer yonks, the "Legs" what brewery owned it? the infamous Bob Cotton used to frequent it in my day.:confused::D

Re: Barbary Coast
 

You are right jaysay Jeff did have the Antley

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Alan - was the Vulcan just up from the Tech College - Thwaites house and Big Ben on draught at Christmas - don't know how i managed my ONC there.
Which was the pub opposite Yates's that had a piano up on the wall?

Re: Barbary Coast
 

That was The Vulcan, on Nab Lane, near what was the new Tech. A new college is now built where it once stood.

Was quiet druggy, and played heavy metal in the early eighties. Though sold cheap food and brews, so was popular with students.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Some pub and club names metioned in the comments section of this link.

Blackburn now and then, Blackburns History throughout the years

Also here.

http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/f...can-40354.html

Re: Barbary Coast
 

This made me laugh, regarding Margo Grimshaw, former landlady of The Jubilee, and the woman who brought The Boomtown Rats, and topless barmaids to Blackburn, and who is now a woman of means, and some considerable clout, as a columnist at the LET.



'She's a local business woman, she recently appeared on Panorama, claiming that Blackburn was a scary place, and she was fearful to step out of her house at night etc etc. It made me laugh because she's the one who's building luxury apartments in the town centre... some great publicity there for your enterprise eh Margo?'

'She looks like what I would call a 'chav gran' all golden skin and golden jewellry and bleached hair. But that's just my opinion. Fair play to her for making her money, hope I'm as rich and thoughtless when I'm her age.'
Lancashire Telegraph - East Lancashire's daily newspaper. Blackburn Rovers, Burnley FC.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Think it might have been Lions cashy and was an ale house if I remember rightly

Re: Barbary Coast
 

The pub with the piano on the wall was either the Sun or Sames Vaults Barrie

Re: Barbary Coast
 

How many of you, doing the Barbary crawl, would visit the Merchants for a laugh? All the puffters would be dressed up as women. These days, of course, they all want to be muscle men. Why is this? Can anyone explain this change?

Re: Barbary Coast
 

I went in the Merchants regularly and knew the Landlord Ken Pilling very well, he used to frequent the Cav when he shut the pub. I can assure you he didn't wear a dress and even then he was a muscle man, an ex PTI in the Army, and was as hard as nails, if he said it was Monday it WAS Monday, believe me :D

Re: Barbary Coast
 

..so you were a regular in the Merchants? What attracted you to that particular pub?

Re: Barbary Coast
 

thats whats bugging me, the "County" just further down the row was lions, but seem to think the "Legs" was summat outa the ordinary? not one of the Big 4 if ya get me drift, could well be wrong was rarely sober back then.:D:confused:

Re: Barbary Coast
 

We used to call in there too on the odd pub crawl, or sometimes on the Lunchtime Crimbo Pub drink, i used to work on St,Peters St. Do you remember the Barman...Pearl i think was his nickname...once recall seeing him in a bright yellow suit...ya wouldn't dare laugh at him though!!:D

Best Regards - Taggy

Re: Barbary Coast
 

there was Sharon,Pearl, n Beaky at one time wearing see through pants, mind ya 2 off did live up Union Rd Ossy.:D:rolleyes:

Re: Barbary Coast
 

In keeping with the historic spirit of deviancy in the area, there's a new club opened on St. Peter's Street recently.

It's what the French would call a club échangiste.

Or what we'd call a swinger's club, apparently.

:rolleyes:

:D

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Are you sure? I've just looked at their website...facilities are a bath tub followed by tea and biscuits. Even Ossy could do better than that.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

I'm afraid my place was nothing more exotic than a Printers!

I do recall one of my first weeks there as an a apprentice, i was returning to work after dinner, and i kicked a stone along the pavement, i handn't noticed this "lady" sat on a bollard close by, she shouted to me...come over here lad..i'll show you a better game than that!!

Best Regards - Taggy

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Always been some "funny uns" round there Cashy!!:D

Best Regards - Taggy

Re: Barbary Coast
 

As I said I knew the landlord and his partner very well, no other reasons really

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Seem to remember it being painted white and light brown cashy, which a lot of lion houses were in those days

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Perl was Kens partner used to sit on the till and take all the money, whilst Ken sorted out the numpties:D

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Must have high ceilings if they're using trapezes G:D:D

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Did she have the price label on the sole of her shoe Taggy:rolleyes::D If she did she was a regular in the Old Bank:D

Re: Barbary Coast
 

If she had a price label, it was probably stuck somewhere else Jaysay!!:D

Best Regards - Taggy

Re: Barbary Coast
 

I seen that trick in the Spread down accy.:D around 62/63

Re: Barbary Coast
 

It would have been two weeks spending money for you, Cashy....3s/6d.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Shows you were looking:D:D:p

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Hey i didn't know what it was back then, made a real prick of meself, thought they were new shoes n she'd left the price on.:o was explained to me by older n wiser Teds.:D

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Did they tell you if they were value for money:D

Re: Barbary Coast
 

oer the years i got to know that lady, n to tell ya the truth, i wouldn't if she was paying me.:D

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Why watch TV, you lot are much more interesting, Im ****ing myself, laughing,

Re: Barbary Coast
 

That good hey cashy:D

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We're here to please Alan, just here to please, think cashy and me could have made a good stand up duo, just can weigh up who'd be the straight man though:D

Re: Barbary Coast
 

I remember most of these, wasn,t there a sleazy pub called the Top Hat where the die hards used to go later, not that I ever went was always on the last bus home, well nearly.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

I'm utterly at a loss to understand how anyone can remember their nights out on the Barbary Coast !! We used to go out in the car Saturday nights - meet up in the local Sunday lunch & try to guess who drove home !!!

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Twas not a pub kikine the Top Hat was the "King" of nightclubs,.......................if ya were a puff,lesbian, rogue, n had a degree in violence, twas a great night out.:D;)

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Forgotten the name of the owner

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Happy Mondays 180487 at The Top Hat, thanks to
http://www.last.fm/event/752744+Happ...+18+April+1987

Re: Barbary Coast
 

long after my time wadey, late 60s early 70s. when it was really classy.:D

Re: Barbary Coast
 

The Top Hat..in the 70's it was a den.. at sixteen in Blackburn drinking up to 11 o'clock we asked some bods in the Dun were we could get a drink.. he says the tophat will let anyone in.. yes, let me in and paid my money.. got to the bar and got whizzed out.. great money making project..but the tophat ended up as somewere yo could go as a last result..it was some sort of mixed up gaff..some hard nuts , some transvstites and just bods having a late drink and such but always a great disco.. plenty of tamla and 60's stuff.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Wine, Dine and Bleed at the Top Hat:D

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Cyril Kenyon wadey

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Bet they weren't as Happy after that gig:D

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Cyril Kenyon wadey

Thanks jaysay

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Your welcome, he also had a place in the centre of Colne too

Re: Barbary Coast
 

nowt wrong with your memory, Cyril..... ? it would have taken me forever to remember that. do remember him though, quiet sort of chap. The music and dancing was great so I heard, ok did go there once or twice!1

Re: Barbary Coast
 

As wide as he was tall nearly:D The reason I remembered him kikine is because I knew him, you got to know Cyril when you worked the nightclub scene

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Our paths must have crossed. Did you work the Top Hat? The clubs I remember were the Mecca to become I think Golden Palms, Cats whiskas, Cabin End, Cavendish and of course the legendary Martholme with grab a granny on Wednesdays. Oh and Lar de Dars although I was past clubbing by then.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

I worked the Palms, Cavendish and was reception Manager at the Grange

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Wer ya a bouncer in them days jaysay.

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Certainly was Alan http://cdn.content.sweetim.com/sim/c...s/000202D6.gif :D

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Had a wander round on Sunday

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What did pub in photo 5 and 6 used to be called?

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can't remember wadey, was 4-5 the Wheatsheaf? sure looks like it.

Re: Barbary Coast
 

No number 3 is The Stage Door and you can see in the stone work "Wheatsheaf"

Re: Barbary Coast
 

Found this last night, well worth a look

Lost Pubs In Blackburn, Lancashire

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ah thought it was, have me glasses on this morning.:D

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That was the Dunn Horse wasn't it!

Best Regards - Taggy