To ask you to help me remember…(if you lived in Cambridge in the 90’s)

[WhyMeWhyNot21]

HELP!!!!

I’ve been Googling for hours with no luck and it’s slowly driving me round the bend!!

In the mid/late 90’s I used to go to a club/music venue with my mates, we’d watch local bands play. It was around Napier street/Cobblers yard and it was possibly the strip club - Talk of the town at some point before then.

Any ideas?
Thanks!

www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/chilis-cambridge-restaurants-closed-down-16148020

Sweeney Todds then.

Was Omars a kebab house?

irresistibleoverwhelm nobody ever went to the Eraina for its quality food! Mystery steak smothered in cheese with tinned peas was my favourite! £27 would probably feed 4 people, 2 courses.

@Zilla1

www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/chilis-cambridge-restaurants-closed-down-16148020

Sweeney Todds then.

Was Omars a kebab house?

Burgers, kebabs and the aforementioned legendary spicy roast potatoes

Colonel Fudpuckers. Best chilli burger ever

Thank you.

Can't remember if Omar's or Gardenia was the one I remember.

www.cambridge-news.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/best-kebab-places-cambridge-takeaway-14329522

Used to go to the Corn Exchange all the time as a teen - 88 - 92 ish. Saw Blur there before they were signed. Ride, Inspirals, Jesus Jones, Wonder Stuff. Really formative experiences.
Does anyone remember the old dept store in town? Joshua Taylors I think? It had a really glam/old fasioned hair salon in it and was very Are you Being Served with wooden cabinets etc. I have a clear memory of peeking through a window as a small child and seeing a small theatre where they did fashion shows - can anyone confirm if this existed?

@yes Joshua Taylor ran along the shops now occupied by Monsoon/ Superdrug/ Fat Face. Can’t quite remember how far- perhaps to TK Maxx (previously Borders). It was posher than John Lewis aka Robert Sayle. I remember a big spiral staircase with beautiful wooden handrail.

Remember the hair salon and vaguely recall some odd curtained area by the salon but don't think I saw what was behind it.

Is the courtyard pub near King's Parade still open?

I used to work in
Nettles
Old Orleans
Midsummer House

I had to do all my exams in the Corn Exchange - was v weird when I’d been there mainly for gigs!

I only remember Robert Sayle (JL) and Eden Lilley as department stores in my time as an undergrad…Eden Lilley turned into Borders, then that eventually shut and turned into a TKMaxx. Robert Sayle got totally rebuilt as a very swanky new John Lewis when the Grand Arcade was put up. Where was the one you are thinking of?

It’s so sad that so many of these places are long gone. The Bakers Oven in Bradwells Court, gone. (So has bradwells court though!) Don Pasquales, gone. Old Orleans, gone. Sweeney Todd’s, gone. Chicago’s….Fifth Avenue, Cellar Bar, Druids, Bird in Hand, Seven Wives, Town and Gown, Five Bells….even the Grafton Centre is going soon! Not there’s much left there anyway!!

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@Lapsidasicle

I remember the spiral staircase in Robert Sayles! I can clearly remember standing there whilst my mum wrote out a cheque for my posh new school shoes. I remember thinking “one day I’ll have a cheque book and I can buy whatever i like” I clearly didn’t realise that you had to actually have the money in your bank….

closed in the 90s- anyone remeber the theatre? It's driving me mad thinking I made it up!

Wow so many memories! Eaden Lilly did amazing scones! Bday parties at chillis and/or laser quest. Coffees at carringtons (now a burger place). And yes, don pasquales a recent loss. It was going anyway as it lost the lease or something but I think COVID expedited it. That was upsetting!

The only places I remember in Cambridge in the 90s was the Spread Eagle and the Junction, neither of which I could find while sober

Oh and sweeney Todd's and old Orleans!

Oops don't know where that biscuit came from

Sea Cadets’ Hall? Or was that a bit further out / earlier? Remember my brothers and cousins going there to see bands in the 80s. I was too young, but quite jealous of them.

We used to go to Footlights for birthdays! They did good cocktails.

I also remember the man with things on his head, I'm sure A Cambridge Diary on Facebook posted a photo of him recently (not with things on his head).

Such a shame about Don Pasquale's, has anything replaced it? I'm still sad that Clowns has gone, I lived in there in my teens, nursing a black coffee until the rain stopped.

Wasn't the spicy potatoes takeaway called Istanbul (opposite APU just up from the Bakers Arms)? I only went in there occasionally, but I was very partial to a chip kebab from The Van Of Life in the market square, or Fajitos on Mill Road (who made their own mayo with a strong lemon flavour).

Route 66 was a proper sweat dripping off the walls, sticky-carpeted dive. There was also the Q Club on the corner of Hills Road and Station Road. To be honest, I always preferred the quieter pubs to the the clubs, like the Free Press (which was non-smoking years before it became law).

I've been back loads of times since my uni days, but it's just not the same. I realise that's partly me, but the place has definitely changed and become a little more soulless in the passing years.

Yes to the Istanbul - the owner was called Ali and I used to go in there for a kebab on my way back to halls at APU! He was lovely and once chased off a guy who was following me and waved a massive donner knife at him while shouting 'leave her alone or I will fuck you' and it was only afterwards that he realised he meant to say 'fuck you up' which probably wasn't as scary.

@Bryonyshcmyony
I loved Nettles!!
Used to go there late afternoon most days and get a meal for the evening.
I worked in a music venue, most days I worked lunchtime to around midnight but often a lot later. Nettles for food before the show started and Route 66 to wind down after work.
Cabco taxi (312444 was their Tel no) home in the early hours.

[quote DameCelia]@Bryonyshcmyony
I loved Nettles!!
Used to go there late afternoon most days and get a meal for the evening.
I worked in a music venue, most days I worked lunchtime to around midnight but often a lot later. Nettles for food before the show started and Route 66 to wind down after work.
Cabco taxi (312444 was their Tel no) home in the early hours.[/quote]
The best job I ever had!

Yes to footlights and everyone hasn’t birthday parties at laser quest!