coffee bar

[Paddy Wheatfields 4]

Can anyone remember the name of that coffee bar on the top right hand side of Victoria Street, looking out from the City Centre?

On the top floor, it had a dangerous winding staircase which would have killed us all if fire had broken out, and was run by a (to me) middle aged sensuous woman with long dark hair!

Funny, I can't remember the toilets, they must have been terrifying. That's something I usually remember.............. !jumping!

[mick2me 3,029]

What building? What year?

I can remember 'The Belvedere Club' on Weekday Cross, just round the corner?

[Stan 386]

....and what about the really trendy coffee bar opposite the main entrance of the Nottingham Technical College in 1960 ...really groovy baby! I am sure I once saw Cliff Richard in there.

[Tutanic 8]

Having been in the Empire Cafe as a child then all other coffee bars and cafes are pushed into ablivion.

A

[mick2me 3,029]

Where was the Empir Cafe Toots?

[Tutanic 8]

The Empire Cafe was on Forman Street, down some steps. The chap behind the counter used to be able to make a jug of milk talk, and a teapot full of hot tea. The place had a smell all of its own, a combination of tea and ham sandwiches.

People say the sense of smell brings back most of the memories you have and I totally agree. I cannot smell hot tea without the thought of that place popping into my head.

A

[Paddy Wheatfields 4]

I know, I just remembered, it was THE BO, short for Bohemian, and the year was 1962/3 ouch. !bravo!

[mick2me 3,029]

I was a young kid, just moved to the big city.

Where on victoria street?

[Edwin Layward 2]

you is al rong....it was called de Kardoma !

[Trafalger 1]

....and what about the really trendy coffee bar opposite the main entrance of the Nottingham Technical College in 1960 ...really groovy baby! I am sure I once saw Cliff Richard in there.

I think this was or became the BLADE CLUB.

One of the first legal gambling establishments in Nottingham. First went in in 1962.

[mick2me 3,029]

I still cant place which building this would be in?

Gambling - Victoria Club?

[Trafalger 1]

I still cant place which building this would be in?

Gambling - Victoria Club?

No, this was way before the Victoria Club which was very much more select than the Blade

Blade Club was situated on Burton Street opposite the main entrance to the Trent Polytechnic. It was in a row of shops next door to one that specialised in fancy dress and theatrical costumes if my memory serves me correctly.

[Paddy Wheatfields 4]

I was a young kid, just moved to the big city.

Where on victoria street?

If you are going up Victoria Street, waterstones shop on your right, as if you are making for hockley. It used to be at the top, on the right, just before the crest of the hill so to speak. Nothing to do with the kardomah at all, surely that was on king street?

[katyjay 5,000]

I've put me thinking cap on, and remembered a few of the coffee bars that were around in the early to mid 60's. Capucci's on Parliament St was a well known one. Kardomah on King St, and Lyons cafe on Long Row, and a coffee bar on Bridlesmith Gate were 3 I went in quite often. The latter was on the left if you were heading towards Drury Hill [ah memories] and if you sat in the window and looked across the street, the single storey building opposite had a sign on the roof that said 'Ancient Lights' I guess it meant no one could block the light by building a tall building there? Another coffee bar I went to in the evenings was on Goldsmith Street, left hand side as you went down, past the old Playhouse. I remember the one opposite the Evening Post building, that has been mentioned before. Starbucks just doesn't have the atmosphere of the old coffee bars, they are very clinical in appearance, and you need a 2nd mortgage to frequent them often!

[mick2me 3,029]

I do like the Starbucks Frappuccino. YUM!

Best one I had was in Vegas.

Though Starbucks claims their Frappuccino recipe originated in 1995 along Santa Monica's Third Street Promenade and launched April Fool's Day in 1995, an earlier Frappuccino traces its origins to Starbucks' acquisition of the Boston-based chain Coffee Connection which sold a similar frozen beverage at that time. Some Coffee Connection fans maintain that the earlier Coffee Connection-style Frappuccino was superior in taste and quality to the drink Starbucks now sells.

[katyjay 5,000]

Must admit, I'm partial to a frapaccino mesen, usually in an airport, flying out. Our local Safeway recently installed a Starbucks, it's the trend here, to put them in other businesses. Don't know about the UK?

[mick2me 3,029]

Rip Off Britain! Double the price of the US, and smaller?

Mines a Strawberry BTW

[Craig Strongman 13]

Another coffee bar I went to in the evenings was on Goldsmith Street, left hand side as you went down, past the old Playhouse.

As i recall, that would be "The L Shaped room" as it was then. Heres a little story with a connection there. I knew a guy who was in a local band who needed some records to play at The L Shaped Room between sets, and, me being into soul and motown (frequenting the clubs such as The Dungeon and Beachcomber etc) i had a good collection, which i duly lent to him, including stuff that is now worth hundreds!........Anyway, gig was done, and i waited for the return of my cherished records...................and waited......and waited..................and waited.....and.........i think you get the picture! He claims they'd been nicked, and i never saw them again. A few years later during the 70's i saw the guy playing in Roxy Music for a while, and thought about sending him a bill for them!

[Old_Pavior 0]

So where was the Toreador . I always though it was facing The New Tech college and was demolished to make way for The Concert Hall

[alisoncc 379]

I remember me Mam giving me sister seven rounds of the kitchen table after she went to a cafe for a cup of tea. "isn't our tea good enough for youse". In the late fifties, in the Medders, you did not frequent tea and coffee places. They were dens of iniquity.

The cafe was next door to the chippie, which was on the corner of Arkwright Street and Summers Street.

Hugs Alison

[Craig Strongman 13]

Was it open till fairly late? i was taken to a cafe by a former school mate i used to hang around with, we'd go on a Friday night, before going on to hang around the Market square, incidentally, he'd just left school and had become a coalman, buying a fresh pair of trousers every Friday afternoon, wearing them for "best" over the weekend, and then to work all week, and then buy a new pair, using them for best, and then..................................you get the picture!

[Dodie 51]

Used to go to the Brief Encounter bottom of Wilford Road, Canal Street, beside the Bowling Green

[coughdrop 15]

Alison pointed me towards these threads. I left a new thread in the `60s section.

I used to go to a coffee shop called the `Jules et Jim`off Goosegate almost opposite heathcote street, where I would play folk music on Friday and Saturday nights in 1963, 4 and 5 . I recall the owner Rene and his kiwi wife. They lived on a converted MTB at Gunthorpe lock. I left a twin engined model aeroplane in the basement in August or September 1965, just before I came to Australia. I never did get it back.

I still play folk music and treasure those formative times.

Regards Andrew.

[Paddy Wheatfields 4]

We used to go for a "hot orange" in the caf at the top of Bunbury Street. Used to see the Forest players there too, buying their fags.................

HOW DID THAT COME UP IN MUSIC, MUST BE LOSIN IT

[radfordred 6,278]

That boldly headed fat bloke who owns EasyJet Stellios he's opening a few coffee shops in Nottingham & he's going to flog it for a quid ..... a bleddy quid!