Beckenham Junction, nightclub in 1966

[chezzie]

Wow! I remember the Orchid, my friend Patti used to drag me out of bed to go there with her, Scarlett's was another one that disturbed my sleep!!!

[dt]

Worked for many years at the Mistrale Club on the door taking the money then managed Tites for its entirety. Unfortunately Mike died a couple of years ago;a good friend.Love to answer any of your questions from spam to the Rolls Royce.

[The Historian]

Where did the Rolls end up?
Who owned it?

[dt]

The Rolls Royce,which had the red RR insig.on the radiator was originally bought for the Mistrale club by Mike Loveday and Barry Thompson,then partners to be used as the Dj booth located then in the area where Tites bar was later situated.They purchased the car from a barn in Kent 100% complete, then used by resident Dj Dave Mitchell,later joined by Richard Taylor and Lee Lang to spin many a tune.After the conversion to Tites it was situated in the entrance area where my then wife and Mikes wife Unni took the money.After the final "Good Night My Love" was played the wall below the entrance window was demolished the car taken away on a trailer to a motor trader in East Dulwich where it was passed on for a new life,perhaps now taking brides to the church. MANY STORIES ARE STORED UNDER THE BONNET!!!!. D.T.

[dee]

Hi I have just stumbled on these posts-so interesting and bring back many happy memories. I spent my teenage years in West Wickham /Beckenham in the late 60s and had such fun. Went often to the Mistrale and the Three Tuns. My then boyfriend ran a light show at the club - no one seems to remember that! I thought he was utterly amazing. I remember the barman Tony, I remember the owner Dave and his passion for cars. I remember a girl called Francesca who was credited with giving everyone an unmentionable disease and appeared unaccountably on Top of the Pops several times.John Peel once played a record for me there. He actually took off the record that was playing and replaced it with my request because I had to go home early. It was a school night!


I was at the first meeting of the Arts Lab at the Three Tuns and used to go back after to the flat where David Bowie and Mary Finnegan lived.I was at the Free festival and no -I don't have any photos (regrets!)
I saw some wonderful bands in the 60s/70s and still listen to their music now.
Dee

[emmiles]

hello,i was about 7 or 8 and remember tites my dad worked there,me and my brother and sister used to get in the rolls Royce and find money in the back seats ,it was always dark and with the big spider and the alcoves that look like caves back then it was quite scary looking,my dad his roger,thanks emma

[rzanuk]

I never had enough money to go to the Mistral much. One night,circa 1968/9 the Nice were playing. We were in the alcove for the fire escape door with our ears pressed up against the door. A guy asked what we were doing and we said we didn't have the money to get in. It was the Nice's road manager, who must have felt sorry for us as he took us in. It was brilliant.  I'll never forget Keith Emerson leaping up on top of the organ, rocking it forward and backwards and stabbing the keyboard with a knife. I think Roy Harper was there as well, not performing, just with the band. 

Those small clubs with such big stars performing a few feet away were just amazing. 
Circa 1966, I'm pretty sure Bill Haley and the Comets played there. I was only 13 and couldn't convince them I was old enough to get in. The youth club dances, with live bands, opposite the Catholic Church, used to be pretty good.
The Drum scared me and I only ventured in there a couple of times.

[oldbiker]

Just found this so digging up an old thread.
It must have been about 1967/8 that we used to go to the Mistral. No recollection of old Rolls Royces or spiders or even a bar. We could just about afford to get in so no money left for drinks.
Who do I recall seeing there? Definitely John Mayall Bluesbreakers. I saw John himself quietly sipping a half lager alone at a bar completely undisturbed by customers.
Saw Tyrannosaurex Rex before they were T Rex, the Pretty Things (always a full house when they were on) Incidentally saw them at the 100 Club in about 2011.
Coloseum were another band there.
Sometimes we stood right next to a tower speaker, but so far no ill effects, pardon?

Stopped going to the Mistral when it seemed to get rougher. Saw some ugly fights between guys in smart suits.

Eden Park Hotel was a good alternative venue - vaguely remember Mott the Hoople playing there.

Happy days.

[paduard]

I went to the Eden Park Hotel, but in the early fifties. Quite different I suppose from the sixties. Then it was ballroom dancing. Was on my train coming back from London Bridge to Anerley (worked at Liverpool St. in London), and my friend Eric and I were approached by a couple of young girls travelling in the same compartment (this was quite normal then for girl/boys to occupy the same compartments and was quite a social exercise) - and anyway they suggested we went there - instead of Royston - so we did. I have forgotten the name of the girl who I primarily danced with - so only remember her as 'the girl at the Eden Park Hotel'. Not much interest for you I suppose oldbker - but thought I would just contribute as your posting struck a chord so to speak.
paduard.

[Pete]

Feb 16, 2016 14:44:32 GMT 1 oldbiker said:

Just found this so digging up an old thread.
It must have been about 1967/8 that we used to go to the Mistral. No recollection of old Rolls Royces or spiders or even a bar. We could just about afford to get in so no money left for drinks.
Who do I recall seeing there? Definitely John Mayall Bluesbreakers. I saw John himself quietly sipping a half lager alone at a bar completely undisturbed by customers.
Saw Tyrannosaurex Rex before they were T Rex, the Pretty Things (always a full house when they were on) Incidentally saw them at the 100 Club in about 2011.
Coloseum were another band there.
Sometimes we stood right next to a tower speaker, but so far no ill effects, pardon?

Stopped going to the Mistral when it seemed to get rougher. Saw some ugly fights between guys in smart suits.

Eden Park Hotel was a good alternative venue - vaguely remember Mott the Hoople playing there.

Happy days.

Oldbiker - great name, wish I'd thought of that!
I wonder if we ever met?
We used to use the cafe on Clock House bridge, run by 'old Morris' (Maurice?). It used to be known as The Fiesta but I think the name had changed by the mid 60s.
I had a beat-up old BSA Gold Flash (A10) with a Steib chair - my mates were Charlie, Lenny and a guy known as Lofty (I think his name may have been Ken).
My band The Unattached played at The Mistral in 1966 or '67... I wonder if you remember any of this?
Just a thought anyway.
Pete

[Pete]

Feb 17, 2016 16:32:11 GMT 1 paduard said:

I went to the Eden Park Hotel, but in the early fifties. Quite different I suppose from the sixties. Then it was ballroom dancing. Was on my train coming back from London Bridge to Anerley (worked at Liverpool St. in London), and my friend Eric and I were approached by a couple of young girls travelling in the same compartment (this was quite normal then for girl/boys to occupy the same compartments and was quite a social exercise) - and anyway they suggested we went there - instead of Royston - so we did. I have forgotten the name of the girl who I primarily danced with - so only remember her as 'the girl at the Eden Park Hotel'. Not much interest for you I suppose oldbker - but thought I would just contribute as your posting struck a chord so to speak.
paduard.

I remember when The Mistral was Beckenham Ballrooms, but I never went as I was probably too young - imagine that, being 'too young' to do anything, all that seems so long ago!!!
I also remember the trains with separate compartments, and your memory of "the girl at the Eden Park Hotel" made me smile as I thought I was the only one with reflections like that!


Happy days.

[oldbiker]

Mar 6, 2016 22:12:24 GMT 1 Pete said:

Feb 16, 2016 14:44:32 GMT 1 oldbiker said:

Just found this so digging up an old thread.
It must have been about 1967/8 that we used to go to the Mistral. No recollection of old Rolls Royces or spiders or even a bar. We could just about afford to get in so no money left for drinks.
Who do I recall seeing there? Definitely John Mayall Bluesbreakers. I saw John himself quietly sipping a half lager alone at a bar completely undisturbed by customers.
Saw Tyrannosaurex Rex before they were T Rex, the Pretty Things (always a full house when they were on) Incidentally saw them at the 100 Club in about 2011.
Coloseum were another band there.
Sometimes we stood right next to a tower speaker, but so far no ill effects, pardon?

Stopped going to the Mistral when it seemed to get rougher. Saw some ugly fights between guys in smart suits.

Eden Park Hotel was a good alternative venue - vaguely remember Mott the Hoople playing there.

Happy days.

Oldbiker - great name, wish I'd thought of that!
I wonder if we ever met?
We used to use the cafe on Clock House bridge, run by 'old Morris' (Maurice?). It used to be known as The Fiesta but I think the name had changed by the mid 60s.
I had a beat-up old BSA Gold Flash (A10) with a Steib chair - my mates were Charlie, Lenny and a guy known as Lofty (I think his name mat have been Ken).
My band The Unattached played at The Mistral in 1966 or '67... I wonder if you remember any of this?
Just a thought anyway.
Pete

Blimey Pete.  I remember that cafe on the Clock House bridge! The windows always seemed to be steamed up. Must have been about '67 or '68 I used to go there with Jim on a scooter and Chris who had an Ariel Arrow 250.  I used to share an HJH Super Dragon(!) with a 200cc Villiers engine with my mate Mac, then I got an Ariel Arrow and after that a Velocette 500.
There were some other lads there too of course but I can't recall any names.  Who knows - we might have met up.  There was a real bikers caff called the Salt Box next to Biggin Hill but we were too scared to go there!

[paduard]

Mar 15, 2016 20:46:23 GMT 1 oldbiker said:

Mar 6, 2016 22:12:24 GMT 1 Pete said:

Oldbiker - great name, wish I'd thought of that!
I wonder if we ever met?
We used to use the cafe on Clock House bridge, run by 'old Morris' (Maurice?). It used to be known as The Fiesta but I think the name had changed by the mid 60s.
I had a beat-up old BSA Gold Flash (A10) with a Steib chair - my mates were Charlie, Lenny and a guy known as Lofty (I think his name mat have been Ken).
My band The Unattached played at The Mistral in 1966 or '67... I wonder if you remember any of this?
Just a thought anyway.
Pete

Blimey Pete.  I remember that cafe on the Clock House bridge! The windows always seemed to be steamed up. Must have been about '67 or '68 I used to go there with Jim on a scooter and Chris who had an Ariel Arrow 250.  I used to share an HJH Super Dragon(!) with a 200cc Villiers engine with my mate Mac, then I got an Ariel Arrow and after that a Velocette 500.
There were some other lads there too of course but I can't recall any names.  Who knows - we might have met up.  There was a real bikers caff called the Salt Box next to Biggin Hill but we were too scared to go there!

I had a Velocette - 250 I think - just about that time. Lived in Ealing about then and used to go to the Ace Cafe on the North Circular Road. All the bikers went there - wonderful nosh-ups.
paduard

[woody]

This is a really great nostalgic thread. I went to the Mistrale / Tites club, many times between 1967/ 1968.
A really great night out, saw lots of good bands.
The last Friday night I went there, was hopefully to meet up with a girl, that I had met briefly the week before, which again was either 1967 or 1968.
i was walking down Beckenham Hill road, after leaving the club that night, I was with a couple of friends. As we got quite a way down the road, there was a girl in front of us, that was about to go along the access road into the flats, which are on the left hand side going down Beckenham Hill road, I think the block of flats nearest the road is called TYRALL HOUSE, anyway, the girl looked at me, I looked at her, I asked her to wait, I caught her up, we walked down to the flats, we spoke for wait seemed like hours, I cannot remember all the conversation, as it is nearly fifty years ago, but I am sure we arranged to meet at the club, the following week.

Unfortunately, I was so excited at meeting her, I did not get her name or phone number, or even which block of flats or the number she lived at, we kissed goodnight and I left, but unfortunately, I never saw her again, I was absolutely distraught, we had got on so well , that I really thought that we would be together.

Even after all this time, I think about her all the time and wish I had known her name and which flat she lived at, I will never forget the magic of that night, it will be with me forever, I only wish I could meet her again.

I know it's a long shot, after all these years, if anyone might know of a girl ( obviously now a woman ) who lived in those flats on Beckenham Hill road and went to the Mistrale club and who may remember that night, please let me know.I am nearly 66 now, so I would love to be able to see her again, before it's to late.
Many thanks

[Pete]

Mar 15, 2016 20:46:23 GMT 1 oldbiker said:

Mar 6, 2016 22:12:24 GMT 1 Pete said:

Oldbiker - great name, wish I'd thought of that!
I wonder if we ever met?
We used to use the cafe on Clock House bridge, run by 'old Morris' (Maurice?). It used to be known as The Fiesta but I think the name had changed by the mid 60s.
I had a beat-up old BSA Gold Flash (A10) with a Steib chair - my mates were Charlie, Lenny and a guy known as Lofty (I think his name mat have been Ken).
My band The Unattached played at The Mistral in 1966 or '67... I wonder if you remember any of this?
Just a thought anyway.
Pete

Blimey Pete.  I remember that cafe on the Clock House bridge! The windows always seemed to be steamed up. Must have been about '67 or '68 I used to go there with Jim on a scooter and Chris who had an Ariel Arrow 250.  I used to share an HJH Super Dragon(!) with a 200cc Villiers engine with my mate Mac, then I got an Ariel Arrow and after that a Velocette 500.
There were some other lads there too of course but I can't recall any names.  Who knows - we might have met up.  There was a real bikers caff called the Salt Box next to Biggin Hill but we were too scared to go there!

Sorry for the late response OldBiker.
Yes, the steamed up windows have come back to me, after all those years!
I had to smile at your comment re. the Ariel Arrow and the scooter parked outside the Cafe at the same time, as it would have been rare seeing one within a mile of the other back then, without one having a pop at the other!
Daft eh, looking back - not that I ever had a go at anyone, Mod OR Rocker, but there you go... fads and fashions and everything that went along with it, much the same as today I suppose.
We actually played in the Cafe a couple of times, or so I have it written in an old diary. I don't remember much about it at all and to be honest, if my memory serves me right I can't imagine how we ever got in there with all the band gear, but there you go, I suppose we did, somehow - can't imagine what it sounded like!
No doubt a mug or three of old Maurice's tea will have numbed the pain!!!
:-)
Good days... I keep saying I'll go back one day for a look.

Re The Salt Box at Biggin Hill is long gone, as are The Nightingale and The Squadron. Another place we used to stop off at was an Italian cafe in Lewisham. I've looked for where I thought it was on Google Maps, but it all looks so different now... it was just before the Hospital.
We also used to go to the bike shop in Catford... forget the name now (Dunstalls?), which is daft as we were only talking about it a few days ago. The old memory has started to do that now and that somehow sounds wrong, whereas a year ago I could have told you without even thinking about it.
Old age setting in methinks!
Good memories anyway, I hope you get to see this OldBiker.
Pete