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Coffee Bars:

I have to agree with Maurice (Sospiri) on the fact that coffee bars were definitely going strong in the late 50s, and me and my friends were using the Sombrero possibly from about late 1957 to 1959 as we left Birmingham at the end of that year temporarily. Another we used to go to was the Fiesta which I think was in Summer Row. My family had a milk bar in Quinton at the same time, and this too, was very popular with the local boys and girls.

Judy
 
Maurice, my comments were a generalization not a definitive statement. The coffee bars, you mention, were in a city centre so presumably they were quick to catch up with the London trends - maybe were owned by national companies.
In the early 1950's (I was still at college) I often went to a milk bar on the Stratford Road, in Shirley. I don't recall a coffee bar in that area but I did leave that area in 1954. There were others in other parts of the Midlands that I visited, when cycling around the Midlands, but only went in once usually. In South Devon, towards the mid fifties milk bars were in main streets. Maybe as I wasn't into 'clubbing' or pop and jazz music, so did not visit the other places. Coffee bars most likely hit the cities earlier than small towns? Reading Jayell's post sums it up in a way. Coffee bars in the late fifties are in city centres, milk bars probably in suburbs and small towns.
 
Alan,

If you will live out in the sticks..... :) That said, there wasn't a coffee bar in Kings Heath at that time either as far as I am aware. I wasn't into clubbing at all, and not being into dancing, I didn't go to any of the dance places that I know that Judy went to. You went into the city because places like Kings Heath were dead after the shops closed, unless you were a drinker and used the pubs. None of my friends lived out that way, so the natural reaction if you wanted to chat to friends was to head into town. From about 8:00pm they were always to be found in one of central coffee bars and you nearly always met someone you knew within a few minutes.

Judy,

Thanks for the confirmation.

Maurice :cool:
 
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

View attachment 135231

Maurice and Carolina

Thanks for that info re the Jerry Allen Trio. I am sure that I saw them at this jazz venue which I thought was next door to the Sombrero. However, I just found an old photo on the web showing the Sombrero with a shoe shop next door, captioned 1961. (See attached). So I guess I must be mistaken. Ah well, thanks for your help anyway.index.jpg

Trevor
 
Does anyone remember the coffee bar on the east corner of Broad Street and Bridge Street, virtually facing the 'Hungry Man' pub on the other side of Broad Street. The pub was demolished in the early sixty,s
Dill
 
Hi Dill if you are talking about the 60's then there was the Rendezvous, but toward the end of the 60's they opened another coffee bar next door to that called the Appolona or something like that. Was it either of those or was it earlier?

City Broad Street Rendezvous Cafe.jpg
 
I have to agree with Maurice (Sospiri) on the fact that coffee bars were definitely going strong in the late 50s, and me and my friends were using the Sombrero possibly from about late 1957 to 1959 as we left Birmingham at the end of that year temporarily. Another we used to go to was the Fiesta which I think was in Summer Row. My family had a milk bar in Quinton at the same time, and this too, was very popular with the local boys and girls.

Judy
When I lived in Smethwick in the 60s I used to go to the Spiders Web. As I was a young mod it was always full of older mods and when I hear songs by Cream or Jimi Hendrix I always think of that cafe. Anyone remember it?
 
Jennyann
Surely El Torro was in Ethel St on the left going down from New St. Opening in 1958? I am sure that I went to the El Torro in the middle '50s & cant remember paying to get in.
John

Hi John

referring to your post of 2015. I believe you are right about the El Toro being located in Ethel Street. I remember it as on the corner of Ethel St and Pinfold St (which would put it on the right hand side going down Ethel from New Street). According to Google Maps the actual building is still there but the windows have been filled in, except for the one on Ethel St. which appears to be occupied by a business called 'Autograph'.

One thing I particularly remember is that the El Toro used empty Chianti bottles with candles for lighting.

Trevor
 
Coffee bars were more of a sixties thing, which is still around. The fifties were more of a milk bar thing.
No, Milk Bars where a wartime invention and were popular until the mid to late 50's. I used to go every week to the one in Erdington high street by the butchers, that was just past the funeral home looking towards 6 ways. Coffee bars started in the mid 50,s and one of the first was the Jungle at the top of Snow Hill opposite the station and close to'Zizmans' the shop for drape coats and brothel creeper shoes. Coffee bars where also frequented by the 'Beatnick' fraternity, I used to go to the one behind the big fire station in Birmingham, not far from the pub 'The Sack of Potatoes' dressed in my sandals, Brown jeans, sloppy joe jumper, sunglasses and a Hofner guitar slung over my shoulder.
 
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