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Coffee Bars:
- Thread starter sparkstopper
- Start date
Bob Davis
Bob Davis
Phil
Many thanks, I thought it was but the reference to New Street threw me. When not up town, we used the Rendezvous in Sutton, it was a new experience
Bob
Barr_Beacon
The Prodigal Brummie
The Kardomah Cafe in New Street, 1965.
Radiorails
master brummie
In 2014, a post here said coffee bars were cool, but milk bars were not. That probably was correct. I did own a coffee bar just after I left the RAF in 1961.
But Milk Bars pre-dated coffee bars and was usually the only place teenagers went back in the 1950's.
They were not a prolific as coffee bars have become, but then most teenagers - of school age anyway - did not have a pocket full of money to spend. At least they gave good value for money more so that some coffee places which charge a high price for something that, I am told, costs no more than 20p. to make.
But Milk Bars pre-dated coffee bars and was usually the only place teenagers went back in the 1950's.
They were not a prolific as coffee bars have become, but then most teenagers - of school age anyway - did not have a pocket full of money to spend. At least they gave good value for money more so that some coffee places which charge a high price for something that, I am told, costs no more than 20p. to make.
Bob Davis
Bob Davis
All those granny gangstas heading in for a meeting, four already at the door and two older ones moving in quickly behind them. The lady with the walking stick is the undercover cop I presume about to change places with the headscarfed lady who will go in behind the gang and lip read. Four things you don't seem to see anymore, gents in overcoats with their newspaper under their arm and gents in trilbys and overcoats, but both with their hands in their pockets, ladies in headscarves and ladies wearing hats like those in the picture. There has been a lot of discussion on old buildings and their style and for want of a better word beauty, look at the brickwork etc around the first floor, again it shows what craftsmen existed early 1900s? Is the building still there?The Kardomah Cafe in New Street, 1965.
Bob
Barr_Beacon
The Prodigal Brummie
I still remember the nuisance that The Hell's Grannies caused when they loitered around Aston Cross in the sixties, Bob.
Maria Magenta
master brummie
The brickwork is lovely. Trying to visualise New Street, I can't place this at all.
Radiorails
master brummie
A shame about the bland, lack of character Tesco store compared to the others nearby.
Williamstreeter
master brummie
The Kardomah Cafe in New Street, 1965.
Must have been taken during the week , as Saturday all of us blokes(Mods) were out on the pavement looking for talent
horsencart
master brummie
This one has gone a bit mouldy https://www.flickr.com/photos/dofar...zA-w1kVBW-pQcjmn-p5wsnd-gB2zPr-ecEg7H-dM5Qyo/
Seeing them must have given Banksy the idea of mischief with a telephone box!
Maria Magenta
master brummie
I was in Birmingham last month, and sitting upstairs with my husband in Pret-A-Manger I was trying to overlay my memories of that end of New Street on what's there now. It was hard. I couldn't remember where Woolworth's used to be, for instance!
Radiorails
master brummie
There were two Woolworth (note singular name) I remember in the late 1940's early fifties. The larger was the one in the Bull Ring, that had a great restaurant for British food.
The other was near the Odeon cinema in New Street. That is where I learned - from the top deck of a 29A bus - that at the time they proclaimed to be the 3d. to 6d. stores. With post war inflation I wonder when that description was removed from the familiar diamond lozenge that Woolworth always used on their shop fascias.
I have the opinion that this store was sold and moved to another part of New Street where The Theatre Royal had once stood.
The other was near the Odeon cinema in New Street. That is where I learned - from the top deck of a 29A bus - that at the time they proclaimed to be the 3d. to 6d. stores. With post war inflation I wonder when that description was removed from the familiar diamond lozenge that Woolworth always used on their shop fascias.
I have the opinion that this store was sold and moved to another part of New Street where The Theatre Royal had once stood.
horsencart
master brummie
This is the Woolworth in New St Ethel St was the next road up on the Left https://www.flickr.com/photos/dofar...Spb-dNFfQZ-dNGVrg-dNLSGo-dNFfz2-dNLThq-dNGUX8
Williamstreeter
master brummie
I can remember one store being on the left hand side of New Street as you walked toward the Odeon , then it was moved to the right hand side of New St being sited just before the Piccadily Arcade
Maria Magenta
master brummie
Thanks to everyone who jogged my memory! I think it had three floors? But so did the Bull Ring one, or perhaps that was the one that had three floors. Occasionally it appears in a dream, as does Lewis's.
horsencart
master brummie
This was the basement floor and can be seen from Stephenson St https://www.flickr.com/photos/dofartshavelumps/26200842667/in/photolist-FVhaGF
Maria Magenta
master brummie
Strange to see!
trevor bourne
proper brummie kid
Maurice
There definitely was a jazz club adjacent to the Sombrero ( I remember it as next door and I think it may have been called the 21 Club). I believe it was owned by the same people and they must have spent quite a lot on the fitout - it even had a balcony coffee bar. Some of the top London bands appeared there and also a trio, who's name I can't recall, who were regulars on Midlands TV. I think it was not a success as it closed after a year or two.
Trevor
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Trevor,
I left Brum in January 1961 and was not aware of such a club then and was heavily involved in the jazz music business by then. I'm not sure whether fellow member Jayell was still around at that time, but she certainly frequented the El Sombrero in that era. Perhaps she can throw some light on this matter. Very interesting news though.
Maurice
I left Brum in January 1961 and was not aware of such a club then and was heavily involved in the jazz music business by then. I'm not sure whether fellow member Jayell was still around at that time, but she certainly frequented the El Sombrero in that era. Perhaps she can throw some light on this matter. Very interesting news though.
Maurice
Phil
Gone, but not forgotten.
There was a club for a short time before the El Sombrero closed, I think it might have been from 1962 to 1963 and that section of the Horsefair was cleared by 1964. As the listing from 1964 edition of Kelly's shows it was called The Starliner Dance Club. All Kelly's directories show listings for the previous year. In the 1963 edition the dance club is not listed and in the 1965 edition it shows that side of the Horsefair as having been cleared.
HORSE FAIR (1), Smallbrook
ringway to Bristol street. MAP F 5.
WEST SIDE.
.... here is Windmill st
8 International Restaurant
10/11 El Sombrero Coffee Bar
Starliners Club, dance Club
13 to 17 Gordon & Munnro Ltd. coffin furniture
HORSE FAIR (1), Smallbrook
ringway to Bristol street. MAP F 5.
WEST SIDE.
.... here is Windmill st
8 International Restaurant
10/11 El Sombrero Coffee Bar
Starliners Club, dance Club
13 to 17 Gordon & Munnro Ltd. coffin furniture
trevor bourne
proper brummie kid
I actually left Brum for London in late 1959 so my guess is that the jazz club which I remember probably closed in 1958. It most definitely was a jazz club which opened sometime after the Sombrero opened but that's all I can remember for sure. Wish I could remember the name of the trio who were the resident musicians. Led by a drummer I think. They also appeared on lunch time TV (was the show 'Lunchbox'?). Could be it's my memory playing tricks!!
Trevor
Radiorails
master brummie
Coffee bars were more of a sixties thing, which is still around. The fifties were more of a milk bar thing.
sospiri
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Alan,
I'll dispute that statement because I came out of the RAF on 8th May 1957. It took several months to find my feet again, because those were times of great change, and when you're away for two years, all your friends have gone their separate ways and you tend to make a few new ones. The first of the latter was two years older than me and also worked at BCT in Congreve Street. He'd been a vocalist with an Army (Signals) band at Blandford Forum and I did a few gigs with him and musicians he knew. But within a few months I'd found new friends and we were frequenting a host of coffee bars - the one at the top of Martineau Street with no name, Siesta, Sombrero, Zambesi, Stage Door, Jungle, to name the ones that we generally used.
By late 1959 I'd left BCT and was working at Lucas GKS and was heavily involved in writing arrangements for a 16 piece rehearsal band and a Four Freshmen-styled vocal group and for the whole of 1960 I was tied up with this until I moved south on 9th January 1961. So for me the coffee bar era was certainly in full swing in 1958 and the first half of 1959. I think that Judy (Jayell) can probably verify this too.
Trevor,
The drummer with the Lunchbox TV outfit was Lionel Rubin and last year he was still alive and kicking and living in Leicestershire. I was aware that Lionel was doing a few gigs aside from his work with ATV, but I can't remember who with or where.. The remainder of the Lunchbox band was Jerry Allen (organ & leader), Alan Grahame (vibes). and Ken Ingarfield (bass), and the only one I had brief contact with was Alan. Below a picture of Lionel, who was of Russian/Jewish descent and was very good drummer.
Maurice
I'll dispute that statement because I came out of the RAF on 8th May 1957. It took several months to find my feet again, because those were times of great change, and when you're away for two years, all your friends have gone their separate ways and you tend to make a few new ones. The first of the latter was two years older than me and also worked at BCT in Congreve Street. He'd been a vocalist with an Army (Signals) band at Blandford Forum and I did a few gigs with him and musicians he knew. But within a few months I'd found new friends and we were frequenting a host of coffee bars - the one at the top of Martineau Street with no name, Siesta, Sombrero, Zambesi, Stage Door, Jungle, to name the ones that we generally used.
By late 1959 I'd left BCT and was working at Lucas GKS and was heavily involved in writing arrangements for a 16 piece rehearsal band and a Four Freshmen-styled vocal group and for the whole of 1960 I was tied up with this until I moved south on 9th January 1961. So for me the coffee bar era was certainly in full swing in 1958 and the first half of 1959. I think that Judy (Jayell) can probably verify this too.
Trevor,
The drummer with the Lunchbox TV outfit was Lionel Rubin and last year he was still alive and kicking and living in Leicestershire. I was aware that Lionel was doing a few gigs aside from his work with ATV, but I can't remember who with or where.. The remainder of the Lunchbox band was Jerry Allen (organ & leader), Alan Grahame (vibes). and Ken Ingarfield (bass), and the only one I had brief contact with was Alan. Below a picture of Lionel, who was of Russian/Jewish descent and was very good drummer.
Maurice
Jerry Allen Trio?
