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Who remembers Raffles?

T

Tid

Guest
Mid 1970s, in Inge Street off Hurst Street if I remember right. It was a small place but impossibly trendy. You had to have membership and if you wanted to get in, you knocked on the door, a bouncer slid aside a glass panel and asked to see your membership card - then you got let in.

It had a bar down one side of its smallish main room, and a tiny dancefloor. The disco made a good sound but you couldn't spot the speakers however hard you tried. Then you looked up and there were these tiny little things perched on shelves in the 4 corners. Must have been the first Bose speakers in Brum.

I remember there was the occasional sports or TV stars there. West Indian fast bowlers Colin Croft and Joel Garner showed up but refused to sign autographs. Simon Williams and Lesley Anne Down from Upstairs Downstairs full of "dahling!" this and "dahling!" that.

The sign was green if I remember, with maybe yellow or gold writing. I only got a membership because I was friends with this guy who knew *everyone*. I don't know how long the club lasted for, but anyone else remember it?
 
. I am sure thats the club myself and a couple of mates tried to get into but were turned away because of our attire . This was a poor excuse as we always dressed smart but you never argued with the bouncers.
 
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Raffles...my favourite nightclub, so many good times but such a small dance floor. Really interesting people, such great nights x
 
Good to see this thread has acquired a few extra memories! I posted it such a long time ago that I've re-registered under a slightly different name. :)
 
So good to see that others remember this amazing place, I got a membership on the basis that "I was a friend of" but looking back it was a great moment in time x
 
So true, I was quite glam back in the day (not now tho...) but I was a friend of a well known guy in the music scene and this was the most "happening" place in the city. My five seconds of fame xxx
 
poppycat said:
So true, I was quite glam back in the day (not now tho...) but I was a friend of a well known guy in the music scene and this was the most "happening" place in the city. My five seconds of fame xxx
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I don't suppose you know when it folded?
 
OMG I loved that place. No idea how we found it. Their dress code was so strict that you raeally felt you were going somewhere special and exclusive long before the celeb club concept. I still have my bright emerald green leather and black and gold badge membership key fob. I can see in my minds eye the sigmoid leather banquettes and stunning, classical oil (real
or reproduction?) oil paintings of scale and the just right lighting. Yes the dance floor was small but beautifully formed. Unlike other clubs at the time you could chat without shouting when seated but then get a fab sound blast under the dance floor canopy. And btw I still remember the best steak I’ve ever had in the beautiful, intimate upstairs restaurant. Way ahead of its time.
 
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Eddie Stableford said:
OMG I loved that place. No idea how we found it. Their dress code was so strict that you raeally felt you were going somewhere special and exclusive long before the celeb club concept. I still have my bright emerald green leather and black and gold badge membership key fob. I can see in my minds eye the sigmoid leather banquettes and stunning, classical oil (real
or reproduction?) oil paintings of scale and the just right lighting. Yes the dance floor was small but beautifully formed. Unlike other clubs at the time you could chat without shouting when seated but then get a fab sound blast under the dance floor canopy. And btw I still remember the best steak I’ve ever had in the beautiful, intimate upstairs restaurant. Way ahead of its time.
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I remember that they used those small Bose speakers which delivered great sound for the dancers but as you say, didn't intrude when you were sitting on those red velour bench seats.
 
Absolutely, I was a dancer then (so long ago) and it was really the best place to dance despite the size of the dance floor. I could make an off colour remark concerning size but...Some of the best nights!
 
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