Cafe in Denmark St 1966

[Hotglove]

Just wondered if anyone remembers a cheap cafe that I used in Tin Pan Alley in 1966.

My first job was aged 16 in Foyles Book Shop, Charing Cross Road, starting in the summer of 66, I was living in a bedsit in Hampstead (landlady was sister in law of Tony Garnett, celebrated producer/actor and thoroughly nice guy) most lunchtimes were spent prowling round the area, looking for cheap grub.

the cafe I remember with the most affection was, from memory, just a few doors along Denmark St from Charing X Rd junction, in a basement, cuisine was mostly Italian crossed with “meat and 2 veg” lady in charge was a formidable Italian with a foghorn voice, I can still hear her bellowing, “ONE MINESTRA” into the dumb waiter, which brought a bowl of the best minestrone on the planet, I believe her name was Renee.

I loved the vibe of the street and the occasional glimpse of famous faces, another memory concerns the strangest E Type Jag, it was two-tone pink and yellow, divided longways like a rhubarb and custard sweet, the pink side had a yellow seat piped in pink, the yellow side had a pink seat piped in yellow, very tasteful.

Many years later I learned that the line from Elton John’s “Your Song” “I sat on the roof and kicked off the moss” referred to him and Bernie Taupin working in a publishers over one of the shops, this being around the time of my lunchtime prowls.

Several of the bookshops in Charing X Rd at this time had cinema clubs showing Indie films from UK, US and Europe, often with poetry readings and folk singers, not far down from Foyles just off the main drag was Bunjies Folk Cellar (from memory, in 66, it was known as, “Bunjies Coffee House” but that might be influenced by the fog of the years 😂)

In the days of no Internet, the wall on the stairs down to Bunjies cellar was covered with notes, posters, stickers advertising gigs, selling kit and with messages like, “Can anyone drop off a guitar in Hamburg?”

So glad that I saw that scene, at that time.

 

[Mykesbass]

Elton John was the office boy at Mills Music in Denmark Street. He replaced my old boss who had been promoted (and later went on to set up Safari Records - Toyah, The Boys, Johnny Clegg). 

[cybertect]

I suspect you are talking about La Gioconda cafe, which was frequented by Elton/Reg, David Bowie and a plethora of other names.

 

A friend of mine, Peter Watts, recently published a book about the history of Denmark Street, and I provided all the modern photographs in the book. Obviously, I’m a little biased, but it’s an excellent read 😊

 

http://www.paradiseroad.co.uk/denmark-street-londons-street-of-sound

 

Edit: Might be worth plugging my own photoblog about Denmark Street in which I was trying to collect stories from the people working on Denmark Street before all the change happening along Charing Cross Road really took hold.

 

https://streetofsound.uk

 

I rather ran out of people who were willing to talk to me on the record, but it was fun while it lasted and was the reason I took many of the photos that Peter later used in his book.

Edited August 16 by cybertect

[Chiliwailer]

9 hours ago, cybertect said:

 

Edit: Might be worth plugging my own photoblog about Denmark Street in which I was trying to collect stories from the people working on Denmark Street before all the change happening along Charing Cross Road really took hold.

 

https://streetofsound.uk

 

I rather ran out of people who were willing to talk to me on the record, but it was fun while it lasted and was the reason I took many of the photos that Peter later used in his book.

Cheers for the link, bought back good memories, I worked there for a many years - started in Andy’s in 1993, aged 15. Graham Noden was a mentor and we still get on great. Brian and me used to hang out at Andy’s, chatting about weed and music mostly, and I offered Crispin from Regents his first job in Denmark Street when I was managing Regents Sounds. Tom from Wunjo was a mate from teen years. So yeah, really nice to read from them all, and the other names that popped in the process. 
 

I’m still close to Ron, who owned Roka’s and Two-5 back in the day, we often talk about how we both have a book in us about the behind the scenes shenanigans from our days there. 
 

Good times, even if it is just retail at the end of the day - and although some people on the street deserved a bad rep, it’s always a shame to read posts that paint everyone from Denmark St with the same brush - as arrogant, rude, failed rock star, wanna be rock star etc… that’s just bollox, I was there for a period of 12 years, in 10 shops, and although there were some tossers (like anywhere I suppose) I knew some awesome people that did a great job. 
 

Worked for a bit at Bass Centre and New Kings Rd after leaving the street, great places, but never the same buzz, not by a mile. 
 

Personally, mid to late 90s was really special there - not seen that vibe since amongst the staff and various shops, for me it felt it was really more connected back then, in a social way, and prior to Music Ground bringing a different vibe - but that’s 3 chapters of the book I suspect 😂

Edited August 17 by Chiliwailer

[Hotglove]

Thanks for the link to the publishers, I have ordered the book and look forward to having a browse through it. 👍

[Hotglove]

Book arrived, good, easy read and very interesting so far. 👍

[Hellzero]

For those outside the U.K., you can order the book Denmark Street: London’s Street of Sounds on Amazon too! 😊👍

 

 

[Dad3353]

27 minutes ago, Hotglove said:

Book arrived, good, easy read and very interesting so far. 👍

 

That could have been my 15cwt Thames van there, but it's too shiny..! 

[Hotglove]

11 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

That could have been my 15cwt Thames van there, but it's too shiny..! 

Good way to have a warm bum if you sit in the middle, vacuum wipers take a bit of getting used to as well 😂

[Dad3353]

3 minutes ago, Hotglove said:

Good way to have a warm bum if you sit in the middle, vacuum wipers take a bit of getting used to as well 😂

 

Tell me about it. Wipers..? Luxury..! Now when I was a boy... 

[NikNik]

17 minutes ago, Hotglove said:

Good way to have a warm bum if you sit in the middle, vacuum wipers take a bit of getting used to as well 😂

My old boy had one for work, before he switched over to Volkswagen, This would have been around 1968. I remember the warmth.

 

Vacuum wipers??

 

Wait...did that van have the centre seat? I remember a cowling.

Edited August 21 by NikNik

[Dad3353]

1 hour ago, NikNik said:

... I remember a cowling.

 

That was the central seat..!

 

I have a string of anecdotes relating to these Thames 15cwt vans, a few of which may have already been posted here in years (Decades..? How time  flies..! Where does it go, eh..?) past. Happy daze..!

[cybertect]

2 hours ago, Hotglove said:

Book arrived, good, easy read and very interesting so far. 👍

 

Do enjoy! 🙂

[Hotglove]

2 hours ago, NikNik said:

My old boy had one for work, before he switched over to Volkswagen, This would have been around 1968. I remember the warmth.

 

Vacuum wipers??

 

Wait...did that van have the centre seat? I remember a cowling.

Yes the wiper motor was driven by manifold vacuum, like the advance/retard on the distributor, so, if you were going uphill, with an open throttle, they went slower and slower, then going downhill, with a closed throttle, they went like the clappers. 😂

[baldwinbass]

10 minutes ago, Hotglove said:

the wiper motor was driven by manifold vacuum

As a delivery driver back in the 70's that's why I got stopped by the police for speeding - pouring with rain and the only way I could get the wipers to clear the windscreen was to drop a gear (column change, only had 3 gears plus reverse if I remember) and speed up! When I explained how the wipers worked the young policeman seemed to understand, and told me I was lucky to get off with just a warning.

[NancyJohnson]

It was my late mother who took me up to Denmark Street for the first time, one of the infrequent trips up to her old stomping grounds with me in tow; she obviously felt it was important for me to experience this place as well as as much as possible within the Oxford St, Charing Cross Road, Shaftesbury Ave, Park Lane and Piccadilly pentangle.

 

I reckon I was 13 tops and going into one of the guitar shops (along with Desolation Boulevard) was probably the reason I wanted to play.