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?

Dear lord, this thread might be the one that actually cures me of missing London! (You'd have to work very hard to make me prefer The Town That Time Forgot, though.) I left in 2005 and haven't even been there since 2007.

Stockpot, BlueNote, ALL the pubs you've mentioned (), fascinating shops run by fascinating people. The Marquee, anyone? Also upstairs at Ronnie Scott's, Jimmy the Greek's and numerous unmarked drinking/gambling dives that were cheap & open all night, often above Chinese restaurants in Soho or in basements under offices.

I was very lucky; I worked in Soho, Fitzroviaaahh before it was called that, in Covent Garden and Clerkenwell. Then in Canary Wharf, after which life started going downhill. XH1 and I had a big row because we nearly bought a house in Fitzroviaaahh - it was cheap - but he wanted the bijou cottage in Wandsworth, which we bought. Argh.

What was that massive second hand shop on Long Acre? - American Retro :) I also used to buy Forces surplus gear from an odd shop near Mornington Crescent, but that was 80s I think. Fifty - Home was wanktastic, but felt a bit special because it was one of the first "pretend this is someone's house, but really it's a snooty club where everyone's done too much coke" places

Centrale & all the other lovely cheap restaurants. Up All Night and Crazy Larry's - noddy, I've often wondered if we knew each other in a previous life, and I think we must have!

Ohhh, THANK YOU for this thread OP I'm feeling all bathed in the golden glow of nostalgia and feeling other people get it.

Flip in Covent Garden sold vintage 501s. I think that closed in the late 80s though

Yes, Flip!

The army surplus shop was Lawrence Corner. Opposite Capital Radio!

I used to drink in the Hawley Arms when Amy Winehouse was still a pup. Wonderful hot food on Sundays. And round the corner the Dublin Castle - Hells Angels London HQ!

We ran a bikers pub in Hackney before it was gentrified too (the Pembury). We used to travel from there to the West End to scare the locals at night. Used to go to the gay and fetish clubs too.

The squats around Rosebery Avenue and Calthorp Street were brilliant. The Merlins Cave pub...

Yes, it was Lawrence Corner, Mandy, thank you!

I've just read back and no-one's mentioned Brick Lane! Used to buy bagels there after clubbing and, with no appetite, carry the ruddy thing round all the next day!

Stolen push bike anyone?! My mate was the dented cooking pot tycoon at the market. I used to buy some great 50s bric a brac there including a bar for my lounge shaped like a boat!

I miss Neal's Yard and the mechanical museum.

The Roman Road market in Bow.

All of it, really.

Bagleys, The Cross, ah nostalgia!

My ex's band headlined at The Marquee and The Astoria back in the day.

There was an eclectic shop opposite Covent Garden tube I used to love poking around in. Called something like the Covent Garden General Trading Company.

We only used to go to Brick Lane to get... Err... stuff

I now live not far from it, the change is both staggering and appalling. Columbia flower market is still there. I know this because my DD now goes to the school on Columbia road

Garlic am intrigued

The Covent Garden General Store. As a 14-15 year old, I used to go into London on the tube solely to shop there.

Gradually went from being quite cool to selling overpriced tat. Or perhaps I just grew up.

I was a student at a campus on The Strand between 1991 and 1994. There was a great (Canadian?) muffin shop at the side of St Paul's (the actors' church).

All those after hours places on Hanway Place... Troy's, the Spanish Bar, Gregory's and the weird place with the ballroom dance floor...

Yy to Garlic & Shots, also the Intrepid Fox

American vintage on long acre is still there although covent garden is dreadful generally

Garlic and shots still exists too, as does upstairs at ronnie's. and Madame Jo jos is still going strong may have gone there last week after a boozy dinner

I was in angel the other day and was pleased to see the afghan kitchen was still there, I used to live in that place.

I remember a really crap nightclub in islington somewhere (the garage?) and the roxy in soho. Shoeless joe's on the embankment - now a fucking walkabout. 151 on the king's road - haven't been back since the smoking ban as cant imagine what it would be like but it can't be good. Never liked Camden so not bemoaning the change there.

Most of the places I used to go in the late 90s have gone but the cool kids are still doing silly things in dive bars and warehouses. They're just in different locations. Such is the nature of life. I don't want to do any of that stuff anymore and I guess lots of others don't either which is why these areas have "gentrified".

First moved to London in 97, some of these posts have brought back long forgotten memories. I remember Neal St East and the South Molton St drug store.

I also have memories of a grubby club in a basement on Oxford St, Tottenham Court Rd end. It had an indie night on a Monday, drinks were 50p or £1, or some other now unimaginable amount. Anybody know the place I'm talking about?

The milk bar?

Flip! Thanks wrongmans, I can never remember the names of things either. It was great, like a jumble sale of old Levis. I think American Retro was a more expensive version, I can't picture it.

There were good veggie cafes too, was it Food for Thought on Neal st, next to Red or Dead? And then Cranks if we were feeling rich. Hair by Fairy in Neals Yard for a £9 haircut

I used to spend hours in the basements of the CharingX bookshops until I was flashed there, then I was a bit more cautious.

Hair by fairy is still there too!

aahh 1990-2001 here.

bands, lager, The Stockpot, Ed's, The Venue (New Cross), Greenwich Market, Pie and mash hangover cure. Slices of pizza in Leicester Square with that hot hot chilli sauce. Brit pop. Night buses. Jamaican patties.

Greenwich market

I dont know about the bakery Precious.(it was Olympic bakery i think?).
I went there last year and the first thing you see when aproaching the market it is a Starbucks.

I rented a flat on Upper Street (i feel rich typing this). There was Iceland, Wendy burgers, bookshops, betting shops, fish and chips. The market opposite Angel st was fab and some pie shops. I ve tried eels there for first time. There were also a couple of theatre pubs with small theatre at the back and one comedy pub?
I remember when we lived in upper street the locals were always said 'good morning love' when you walk in the street!

YY to Bar Italia and Stockpot, i think we all have eat a bowl of pasta next to each other there at some point!

This thread makes me cry.

Bagels and salt beef in East End?

This thread makes me feel like crying too, all the different eras in our lives.

I moved from London four years ago, feeling quite regretful, but now I realise that it was such a different city to the one I loved back in the 90s.

YY to Centrale and the Wag.

I used to live in Camden in the 90's. You used to see some odd sights.

Such great memories I loved every minute The Wag was my 2nd home at one point. And I loved that people had jobs and no one talked about careers You could do anything and afford to live somewhere ok and have an amazing social life.

YY to Crazy Larry's and Up All Night on the Fulham Road

The Stock Pot, The Chelsea Bun, Hyper Hyper in Hi St Ken - what's there now? I still have a belt I bought in there with a big metal daisy buckle and what's her name from Pulp wears exactly the same one in one of their videos! (and probably everyone else too).

YY to Cafe Valerie in Knightsbridge - before it became a crap chain. A Russian (I think) restaurant in Sth Ken, just near the bus stops by the tube. It was nice and cheap. Or was it Polish

A real dive called The Cave in High St Ken.
A poncey place called Grabowski Gallery in Brompton Road.
A downstairs place called Hiders in fulham road.
Pucci Pizza!