90's London

[Sweetasstevia]

I've lived in London for nearly 25 years now but rarely get into the centre these days (I last worked in town in 2008.) I'm always stunned how much things have changed and have been feeling very nostalgic lately for the London of my uni years and youth: 1990 - 2000.
For starters I miss how Covent Garden used to be with the mechanical toy museum and Neal street East around the corner. I miss burgers at Ed's Diner and Jonny Rockets. I miss seeing arty films at the ICA, the montepulicano lounge club and whirligig, the mad market in South Kensington and how Camden used to be before it got all posh!
What things do you miss?

God yes, Workers for Freedom! I had such a thing for Stephen Sprowse so Body Map really fulfilled that. As you say, lovely quality double thickness stretchy and no bobbling or laddering. Kept the waistband well too.

And never having to buy a ticket for the tube unless you got the guilts

Yes the comedy store - am sure it's a LOT less dingy these days!

And I can't believe the Swiss Centre is Leicester Square is no longer!!

Bar Vinyl is still there...

What about The Complex in Islington? That was late 90s again... Think after. Club UK shut down that became popular.

Can't RTFT & just about to leave on the school run so will be quick.

But I remember a gay theatre I used to go to a lot, I'm not gay myself but part of my degree was in Drama & I liked this particular place. I think it was on the Tottenham Court road or in Tottenham & it had a military background but I cant recall the name. Guildhall possibly. Or Drillhall something like that.

Would love to go again

I went to Jerusalem and The Office for my hen night!

Also used to go with gay best friend to the Black Cap, GAY at the Astoria and Pop Stars at the Scala.

Just remembered the big kebab shop that used to be at the corner of Charing Cross Road and Oxford Street!

thedevilinside OMG how could I have forgotten The Swan - used to go there regularly!

Family I remember Kitschen Sync!

Ah Trade at Turnmills - we used to quite often go to Turnmills on A Saturday night, disappear for an hour or so to refresh ourselves and then return when Trade opened, then off to Sunnyside Up and then end up at a dodgy club in Harlesden until about midnight, how I used to get through the following week is beyond me.

is that the one that burnt down MegBusset? I remember it well, used to work 2 mins away on New Oxford Street

I believe so WhizzPopBang (not that I've been there for quite a long time!)

Cuppatea - it amazes me when I look back as well. I basically used to get up on Friday morning and not go back to bed until early Monday morning. How?

I miss Hampstead and Camden Town in the 70s and then the mid-80s.

And YES to Flip on Long Acre - Gideon Coe mentioned it on 6Music last night and I remembered how much I LOVED that shop.

Dalston before it got poshed up - the pie and mash shop on Kingsland Road, with the slithery eels in the window! And the proper Ridley Road market.

And Cranks cafe.

Oh and Bloomsbury when it had a real publishing life and the magic shop opposite the BM.

Pollocks Toy Museum before it moved to Covent Garden.

I lived in London till I was 11 and then between 19 and 23, loved it then, and still do now, although I couldn't afford to live in the places I love!

At the cinema in South End Green, near the Royal Free, it was £1 to get in on Mondays!

Pleased to read positive comments about Bodymap, because I know Stevie Stewart very well. She still has loads of the clothes - not really organised, all stuffed in a cupboard

Going back to shop talk.... does anyone remember those places on Oxford Street, Tott Court Rd end, that were like an auction? There was always a man with a microphone bigging it up to get the crowds in. You could win electrical items for very little money.... apparently! They were located in actual shops, but it always looked like some kind of scam to me. There were quite a few of them in the 90s, then they all disappeared.

Exactly spacefrog35 I'm surprised I kept a job down at all but actually I didn't do too badly! Probably because everyone else was doing exactly the same thing :)

Maurice at Shuttleworths! I lost so many weekends in that place. He was amazing. I remember watching the mice running around under the tables one night when we got there really early (and then ate the food later )

The Swan is still going - and you still get sausage and chips!

Remember Boxfresh at 7 dials?

What was the name of the place round the back of Tottenham court rd/Oxford street, near the pub with the worlds smallest toilet, and the Spanish restaurant that had flamenco dancing. It was basically just a house but was open for drinking til morning after the pubs had shut. Began with a t maybe???

Thanks to Wikipedia, I've found out why no-one else remembers The Venue at Victoria or The Marquee while it was in Wardour Street: the Venue closed in 1984 and the Marquee moved in 1988 (though I still went to the Charing X Rd version for parties.) You oldies are too young

Loved this BBC page, and remembered the old 100 Club amongst other things. Were any of you fellow regulars at the Blitz? It was a glorious, short-lived thing.

Sweetasstevia, club uk was on buckhold road, cavernous place with 3 rooms - trance on a Friday and house on a Saturday (proper house) had a rep for dodgy goings on....
Loved it tho, can't remember most of it!

Also used to go to the Marquee club on sat nights 11-3 was a rave then onto the breakfast club at Astoria.
Orange at the hippodrome too.

The gardening club and aquarium were other haunts.

Laidbackorlazy wasn't the spanish bar called Bradleys? on Hanway Street?

Oh, I remember that, Laid :) No idea what it was called.

YY to being able to afford designer clothes - and to the fabulousness of Bodymap. You can tell Stevie she has loads of fans on Mumsnet, Hey ... might give her a laugh.

sundaygirl yes Bradley's was the pub, thank you! I remember sharing my chips with Ed Tenpole Tudor in there one night Had a google & the late bar was The Troy club, which is still there though looks a bit posher now. I really want to go back!

There's also that Spanish restaurant/flamenco place called Costa something (Blanca/Dorada?) Went to a Christmas do there in the 90s, not sure if it's still there.

Yes, I remember those dodgy auction shops.

Also, are you a sinner or are you a winner?!

YY Routemasters and Ken Livingstone's FaresFair policy - go wherever you liked, so it seemed, for 24p. That was probably '80s though - OMG only for 1 year 1981-82 so Google tells me! Gimmer emoticon!!

Yes Garlic I remember the Venue (saw a lot of Reggae/Ragga acts there in the early '80s) and I went to the Marquee when it was in Wardour Street but never went to the new one.

Meg sinner/winner Yes, remember him - although think he might be more recent than 90s. Didn't he get an asbo for all his sinner/winner shouting?