The Deck
- Thread starter Wynonie Harris
- Start date
No, it's still just an ordinary cafe. From the outside it doesn't look to have changed much from 1969.
The Italian cafe ("Si") is on the next block, on the corner of Dutton Street where MacDonalds used to be (or where Woolies used to be for those of us who are getting on a bit!).
The Italian cafe ("Si") is on the next block, on the corner of Dutton Street where MacDonalds used to be (or where Woolies used to be for those of us who are getting on a bit!).
Incidentally, Darby, could you tell us some more about the Spider's Web? Was it some favourite haunt of Accy teens in the 50's? I'm intrigued!
Wynonie Harris said:
I'm going back a bit...but age plays tricks ye know
!!
However, I think it was the first cafe in Accy to have a jukebox (be about 1957 or so). And that was upstairs.
It was next to what was Gibsons Sports, and downstairs was a normal coffee type cafe. Upstairs was quite large (or was I just small?), with the outstanding feature being the Jukebox, you know the type, one that plucked records out with an arm and turned then horizontal onto a turntable (only 45's). Naturally the highlight of each week was the introduction into the Jukebox of the latest entries into the Top 20 (New Musical Express).
Saturday nights was OK until the "Teds" came in from "Morts", but by that time I'd gone to the flicks (Empire or Princess in Edgar Street). Sunday afternoons was the main event. Everybody who thought they were anybody had to be in the Spiders Web, and there was a great deal of eyeing up from both sides. Eventually, you might slip off with a girl (or try to), and that after making a coffee last 2 hours!
I think the place only lasted about 2-3 years before Chung took it over in 1959. What it was before, I can't remember....
But to my memory it was the forerunner of Cafe's in Accy, those for the youth of the day at least.
Thanks for that, Darby, an interesting piece of Accy social history. Wonder if anyone has any pics of the place?
I remember the Blue Dahlia, was one of the posher places, unless my memory serves me wrong. I was in Blackburn by then (having been at school in Manchester for a couple of years), a student nurse at the Infirmary, so we couldn't often afford coffee! I do remember the KJ in Blackburn - anyone remember that?
I also remember being taken out to dinner by a boyfriend in Hurst Green - I wasn't sure how much money he had, so I said all I wanted was a green salad. He ate steak!
I also remember being taken out to dinner by a boyfriend in Hurst Green - I wasn't sure how much money he had, so I said all I wanted was a green salad. He ate steak!
The KJ Coffeehouse on the corner of Jubilee Street and Bridge Street on the Boulevard. First coffee bar I ever went in as a nervous 13-year old in 1964. I loved it and it was the start of a misspent youth in various coffee bars/cafes around the area!
I remember the KJ Coffee house, used to go there, sometimes after college, or at lunch times, I was a fulltime catering student, at Blackburn Tech, in 60s. At that time they also had lunchtime sessions at the Mecca. It was free to get in and you could buy pies and coffee, but the DJ played some great soul, the session went from 12 to 1 pm. There was also the pub accross the street from the tech called the Vulcan. The pubs in Blackburn the Mods hung out was the St Johns Tavern or the Adelphi, or the backroom of the Olde White Bull. I seem to remember the Odeon in Accy opening a bar called Pickwicks in the early 70s, also a bar & grill called the Astronaut?. never went im there.
The Astronaut was on Union Street, near where Corals is now. It was first a Massey house and then changed to one of them midlands breweries. It didn't have any special signs outside it and looked more like a cafe than a pub. Got filled with a lot of posers in the mid-60's, and we never went in there much.
The Pickwick Grill & Bar ran down the side of the Odeon. Didn't go in there much...I think it was mid to late 60's when it started...by then I was off to other lands.
Thanks for the memories Alan!
The Pickwick Grill & Bar ran down the side of the Odeon. Didn't go in there much...I think it was mid to late 60's when it started...by then I was off to other lands.
Thanks for the memories Alan!
I remember the Pickwick. I spent a lot of my time and money in there from 1975 onwards. It seemed to be part of the town centre circuit; Pickwick, Bees Knees, Regency, Bridge, round and round all night. They used to do a brilliant home made potato pie in there at lunchtime and they served Lager in dimpled glass mugs. My grandparents used to frequent the Astronaut during the mid sixties.
I cant remember when it changed exactly, but I remember working there shortly after the change which would be around 1979. it was run by a chap from the south of Ireland, short, fat, bald head (him not me).
A-Bob...The Bees Knees was the "Derby". That's where I spend most of 63-67 (got married in 67...end of going out with the lads). The back room use to have a group on every Saturday night...Packed to the Gunwhales every Friday and Saturday night. It was the Pub to be in.
Landlords name was Ted Green, his wife was Doreen, and his daughter (who really fancied herself) was Anne who married some dope from "dahn saaff". Ted Green moved to the IOM ion the late 60's and died from a heart attack within 18 months!!
Landlords name was Ted Green, his wife was Doreen, and his daughter (who really fancied herself) was Anne who married some dope from "dahn saaff". Ted Green moved to the IOM ion the late 60's and died from a heart attack within 18 months!!
Darby, when you "retired" from the Derby, I began my drinking "apprenticeship" there. Spent large amounts of time in the place from 68-72. "Our" spot was just to the left as you walked in, while the "big lads" like Isaac, Florrie etc sat down the far end. The back room was called "The Blue Room", but they only had bands on occasionally by then. The landlord was a Scottish guy called Ian. One of the barmaids was an old lady called Ethel who shouted "last orders" in a voice that could shatter windows.
Went in there last August and I couldn't even recognise the place. Totally spoiled like so many other pubs in downtown Accy.
Went in there last August and I couldn't even recognise the place. Totally spoiled like so many other pubs in downtown Accy.
Now I do feel old! I was one of the posers in the Astronaut in the 60s, together with A-B's grandparents! It was reckoned to be a bit posh, got all the businessmen, etc, although goodness knows why, it always looked like a glorified bookies. I remember the Commercial when it was, went to a few wedding receptions there, had my mother's funeral there as well, and had a boyfriend, Marten Ankersmidt, who was working in Accy as an engineer, who stayed there. Happy memories - he had a Jensen and occasionally let me drive it. I don't know which I fancied more, him or the car!
Pendy,
I'm sure it was the car...............Jensens were quite rare.
So it was you sat at the bar in the Astronaut......Do you remember a woman (not a girl you understand), quite attractive, petite etc., called Jean? She was almost a fixture in there.
Jimmy Crow, Mick Absolom, Ben Watson...they were the spivs of the day (60's and early 70's)...remember any of them?
Wynonie,
The only pub that I'd go into in the town centre is the Arden or the Warners....But not at night. Almost all pubs, anywhere, have been devastated and are normally full of the yob culture, they have to be so, just to make a living. But with a 33cl bottle of Bud costing £2.50 or more, they can stick 'em.
Naturally there are still a few good 'uns. Like the Stag, Rose & Crown, Heys Inn, but not many more.
I'm sure it was the car...............Jensens were quite rare.
So it was you sat at the bar in the Astronaut......Do you remember a woman (not a girl you understand), quite attractive, petite etc., called Jean? She was almost a fixture in there.
Jimmy Crow, Mick Absolom, Ben Watson...they were the spivs of the day (60's and early 70's)...remember any of them?
Wynonie,
The only pub that I'd go into in the town centre is the Arden or the Warners....But not at night. Almost all pubs, anywhere, have been devastated and are normally full of the yob culture, they have to be so, just to make a living. But with a 33cl bottle of Bud costing £2.50 or more, they can stick 'em.
Naturally there are still a few good 'uns. Like the Stag, Rose & Crown, Heys Inn, but not many more.
We discovered the Arden not long after we got the house up here. It's a great pub, and we usually go on a Saturday after shopping. It's always good to see Barry and the lads.
You're right, I was, of course, the fantastic looking one at the bar with the long hair, my party piece was that although I was only about 9 stone wringing wet (what a memory!) I could down a pint in one if asked! The name Jimmy Crow rings a bell, but I don't remember the others. I do remember Bert, who was an alderman and I think had a garage, they lived on Whalley Road. The barman was Irish, I think his name was Jimmy. It's all a while back.
You're right, I was, of course, the fantastic looking one at the bar with the long hair, my party piece was that although I was only about 9 stone wringing wet (what a memory!) I could down a pint in one if asked! The name Jimmy Crow rings a bell, but I don't remember the others. I do remember Bert, who was an alderman and I think had a garage, they lived on Whalley Road. The barman was Irish, I think his name was Jimmy. It's all a while back.
Jimmy Crawshaw fancied himself as a bit of an entertainer, and in fact did a few Gigs (I think that's the words he used), as a "Stand-up" comedian (and that he certainly was). He also played the Sax, and tried to sing a bit. All-in-all Jimmy wasn't such a bad person and I'd known him since I was 6 years old. He was about 5'11" with gingerish hair and a pale sort of face. At one time he'd knocked around with Les Gibson and Stan Ridehalgh (building site bullies). But use to drink halves at first (don't trust people who drink halves), but matured to Pints with Whiskey chasers (a man after my own heart).
Funny, isn't it how Ossy has managed to keep so many of it pubs unspoiled? One of my favourites was the Stop & Rest. This was my dad's regular haunt and I used to go in with him in the 70's to stand at the "deep end". There were some great characters there and the "crack" was excellent. The landlord was a gentleman by the name of Jim Lucas who kept standards very high. Truly a pub amongst pubs!
I passed the Stop and Rest the other day, did you know it was up for sale? Get yourself down to the bank, it's just begging for decent landlord or landlady.