Moz 164 Posted September 22, 2020 Report Share Posted September 22, 2020 I set up a group on Facebook to gather information about Nottingham (Scene Before In Nottingham), of the past and present, and I've looked at Nottstalgia to an extent to gather more. I have now put some of that information into a website of the same name. I have taken pictures to show the sites of many of those remembered, or not, establishments. It currently contains data about - clubs & venues (and bands/acts who played at some of them), shops, restaurants, coffee bars, some of the people who were around, certain events that happened. This is a work-in-progress, but I hope people will help me to extend the information with photos, stories, memories. Please comment, good or bad. I hope you find it informative and enjoyable. Here is the link: https://scenebeforeinnottingham.wordpress.com/ 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moz 164 Posted September 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 Can anyone help me with some queries I have from the past. - where exactly was the Don Juan coffee bar (on Parliament Street)? - what was the name of the Italian restaurant on Lower Parliament Street next or so to Sun Valley opposite the Ice Stadium (certainly in the 80s)? - what was the name of the restaurant above the shops on Wheeler Gate (now Dosa & Chutney) nextish to Eldon Chambers where the Beaujolais & Le Mistral were? More as I think of them ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,895 Posted September 25, 2020 Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 Trattoria Conte upstairs.Wheeler gate don't know about the one near the ice stadium. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,139 Posted September 25, 2020 Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 The Italian restaurant on Parliament St. was Luigi’s. We were regulars there. Because it was hot in the kitchen, Luigi used to swig copious amounts of red wine and rapidly became as p****d as a rat. He was a good chef drunk or sober though! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,895 Posted September 25, 2020 Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 Do you mean, Il Nido that is now Petite Paris .? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moz 164 Posted September 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 34 minutes ago, nonnaB said: Trattoria Conte upstairs.Wheeler gate don't know about the one near the ice stadium. I thought Trattoria Conte was on St James Street? Did it move to Wheeler Gate? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moz 164 Posted September 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 21 minutes ago, philmayfield said: The Italian restaurant on Parliament St. was Luigi’s. We were regulars there. Because it was hot in the kitchen, Luigi used to swig copious amounts of red wine and rapidly became as p****d as a rat. He was a good chef drunk or sober though! Where exactly was Luigi's? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,139 Posted September 25, 2020 Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 There was an Italian restaurant on St. James’s St. which was owned by Michael Gray, the solicitor and property developer (Spinrock). I’ve been a few times but can’t recollect the name. It was on the rhs going up. Luigi’s was where you described it, near to Sun Valley, opposite the Ice Stadium. It occupied part of the building where Pullmans used to be. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moz 164 Posted September 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 I have on St James Street - Trattoria Conti (1967-72) La Contessa (1972-?) Le Bistro (French) Sapna (Indian) All downstairs (I believe in the basement of the Malt Cross) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,139 Posted September 25, 2020 Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 La Contessa sounds right. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moz 164 Posted September 25, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 Luigi's thank you - my neighbours used to work there, so I used to eat there. There was another Italian on Mansfield Road - was it Trattoria Roma and was it known as Nino's? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,467 Posted September 25, 2020 Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 1 hour ago, Moz said: - where exactly was the Don Juan coffee bar (on Parliament Street)? In the 1968 phone book, it was 54 Upper Parliament Street, which is now Antalya Takeaway. https://goo.gl/maps/i7WhWwNcgqLPRdBG9 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,895 Posted September 25, 2020 Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 9 hours ago, Moz said: I thought Trattoria Conte was on St James Street? Did it move to Wheeler Gate? Youre right Trattoria Conte was on St James's street but Conte went back to Italy for a while if I remember right. When he returned he opened the restaurant on Wheeler Gate. My husband used to work there. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
nonnaB 4,895 Posted September 25, 2020 Report Share Posted September 25, 2020 La Contessa was owned by The Berni Brothers which was Trattoria Conte. Trattoria Roma was Nino's . If I remember right Le Bistro was further up St James's street , think Alain was the chef. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moz 164 Posted September 27, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 27, 2020 Can anyone remember the name of the restaurant (in maybe the 80s or 90s) on Pepper Street before it became the 'Pretty Orchid' Thai restaurant please. It is now a bar called Pepper Rocks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moz 164 Posted September 30, 2020 Author Report Share Posted September 30, 2020 It has been suggested to me that in the 70s, the restaurant I mentioned above was either Wesleys or Westleys. Can anyone confirm this please and was it that in the 80s? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,467 Posted September 30, 2020 Report Share Posted September 30, 2020 That's it. In phone books for the early 1980s, 12a Pepper Street is Westley's Restaurant. Nottm 586854 if you want to try ringing them. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moz 164 Posted October 1, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 An article in the Nottingham Post from 2019, claimed that the restaurant on Forman Street became Punchinello in 1965. However there is a picture of the premises when it was the Empire Cafe and it became the Soup Kitchen (there is another picture of that) in 1975 or 1976. So when did it really become Punchinello? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LizzieM 9,510 Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 I sort of remember the Empire Cafe, whether I frequented there I really can’t remember. I’ve no memories of cafes, bars, pubs, clubs in Nottingham between 1975 and 2004, during those years I was in exile down south, which was rather nice actually ........ but not so much fun and most definitely not as friendly. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rob.L 1,090 Posted October 1, 2020 Report Share Posted October 1, 2020 I think it was at least in the 1980s when it became Punchinellos. The owner was my brother in law’s nephew, who later took over Woodborough Hall when he sold the Forman Street business for £1.2M in 2006. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
philmayfield 6,139 Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 The Empire Cafe on Forman St. was owned by Armitages of Colwick, the petfood company. Heaven knows what went in the sandwiches! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,467 Posted October 2, 2020 Report Share Posted October 2, 2020 13 hours ago, Rob.L said: I think it was at least in the 1980s when it became Punchinellos. I've looked in the online old phone books which go up to 1984 and it isn't in that edition, so it must've become Punchinellos after that year. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moz 164 Posted October 29, 2020 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2020 Quite a few updates made on the website: The ‘Scene Before in Nottingham’ website has been enhanced with more information, more stories about Nottingham. It now contains the following categories and sub-categories which can all be reached from the ‘Home’ page (just click on the pictures or words). - Places – Clubs & Venues, Coffee Bars, Restaurants, Shops, Theatres - People – In their own words – Alan Askey, Craig Strong, Metal Micky, Peter Groves, Offbeat Characters - Performance – who played at The Boat Club, the Dungeon, the Rescue Rooms, Rock City, the Sandpiper plus the Gate to Southwell and Splendour festivals - Life – events in the city, videos showing the past - Landscape – buildings, natural phenomena, passageway & stairways, plaqiues, statues & artwork Please read, pass comments, let me know if you have facts, stories, pictures to add. After all it is all about our lives. Information can be forwarded to the E-mail address specified on the ‘Home’ page (just below the clickable images). https://scenebeforeinnottingham.wordpress.com/ 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,467 Posted October 29, 2020 Report Share Posted October 29, 2020 I've just had a quick glance through that website and it's a spectacular treasure trove of information. It'll keep me occupied for a long time. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Okay M'Duck 5 Posted November 7, 2020 Report Share Posted November 7, 2020 On 10/1/2020 at 11:07 PM, Moz said: An article in the Nottingham Post from 2019, claimed that the restaurant on Forman Street became Punchinello in 1965. However there is a picture of the premises when it was the Empire Cafe and it became the Soup Kitchen (there is another picture of that) in 1975 or 1976. So when did it really become Punchinello? Was that the cafe we used to cal "the one-up cafe"? On ordering pie, peas and chips, the bloke serving would shout "one up" to the women in the kitchen. The place would get packed out and I remember a chap shaking a sauce bottle and the top came off! I was that busy laughing at my mate's face getting plastered I didn't realise I'd caught most of it up my back! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.