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?

Oh yes the polish/russian place!

Wow this is bringing tons of great memories back - thanks everyone for your amazing contributions

Ahh memories.
The electric ballroom, camden palace, marquee (in wardour st) opp. the Intrepid Fox pub I seem to remember needing a pass to get in?!

Yes, Hyper Hyper & Flip !
Foyles, where you chose a book, got a hand written slip of paper and then were allowed to purchase said book. It took forever.
Pizzaland, is that still going.
I don't go to London now, but we did go back earlier in the year with DC, there is more money there now, that's for sure.

Quesadillas - if it's the one I'm thinking of I think it had a Spanish type name?? Very cheap booze!

There was another indie club around there that had washing machines making the dj 'desk'. Can't remember the name of that either.

it always amazes me on threads like these, esp music ones how many of us share that feeling of an era.
it's like we have all supposedly grown up and become mothers but deep down the memories of tinted times are to fresh.
does make you think doesn't it. x

Mandy2003, I used to frequent the Pembury! You'll remember me, I was the one with dreads .

Anyone remember Club Dog at the George Robey in Finsbury Park?

I could go on (and on, and on), but must go and do some work.....

Ah London in the 90s...I loved it as a student.

Remember stockpot, Bar italia and the treasure trove that was Neal St East fondly. Also the lovely basement veggie restaurant that was in Covent Garden (Food for thought?) which is still there.

Also remember lots of clubbing at Home. Does anyone remember Limelight - v cheap drinks from memory!

Just remembered some more: Aroma Cafes with the brightly coloured cups and saucers (my mate nicked one). Cafe Delancey in Camden and a bar called Gormenghast? on Camden High Street. A strange sloaney disco in Fulham or South Ken that served crap pizza in alcoves around the dance floor. Babushka bars, the Bead shop near Seven Dials, the Haberdashers Arms in Hoxton (served great Thai curry), the aquarium club around the corner, the two Elvis impersonator restaurants in Streatham! Ha ha :)

eurochick go on, who were they then?

I worked there from 86-94 and spent all of my social life there too, had a great time and great memories. Clubs were great, none of that cattle market mentality just a great mix of people.

What was 'Come the Revolution'- nane just popped into my head but was it a restaurant? Bar? Or clothes shop?

I used to love the general store at xmas can't bear that its M and S now

Wow, this thread is a blast from the past! American retro and Flip! The Wag club - remember seeing Boy George there! Stockpot - there was one on the kings road too wasn't there.

Does anyone remember Maxwells, on the corner of cvt gdn piazza towards bow street? It had a Magritte-style mural of men in bowler hats. As a child in the 70s it was our annual treat to have a hamburger and ice cream sundae.

One of my first jobs was in the London Ecology centre just off Neal St - quite ahead of its time, a really great resource, but closed down mid 90s.

At least the Bead Shop is still there (even if it seems smaller and less exciting).

Greenwich market - where else could you get those long fringed hippy skirts for £4 in 1985?

sweetsteve are you thinking of Cafe de Paris re nightclub? Favourite haunt of Amanda de cadanet and the like?!

dinky
I remember Limelight cheap drinks and sweat dripping off the ceiling . Many a fun night spent there.

Anyone remember the Astoria in Charing Cross Road.

I lived in Islington in the late 1980's (Upper Street).
Islington was FUN - markets, a wonderous chippie, lots and lots of really interesting shops with plenty of greasy spoons too. Yy to the theatre pubs and comedy pubs. There was lots of life and fun to be had. I suppose it was just beginning to change - Granita was there and you'd see the odd politico and there were people with lots of money (City boys) living cheek by jowl with those in poverty (Cally Road immigrants mainly). I remember being burgled 4 times (and Police not interested in a bunch of single girls being burgled) before I gave up and moved away from the area (to a cupboard in Knightsbridge which is now prob worth 1/2 a million)

I worked in Mayfair (Berkley Square area). I don't think you could still hear a nightingale sing but it could be v beautiful early in the morning.
Bond Street was lovely to walk down and look at all the beautiful things in the shops.
Best friend worked Wardour Street and I sometimes sang at the Jazz clubs around Dean St area (Pizza Express Jazz room / Ronnie Scotts).

I am sad to hear about Ed's. Part of my youth. A film, an Ed's and ending up at a jazz club with a few beers. All for about £25!

Hi Bialy - no I think it was less upmarket than that - stuffed with rugger boys braying and wearing their polo collars up

quesadillas I also have memories of a grubby club in a basement on Oxford St, Tottenham Court Rd end.

I think I know the one you mean. Can't remember the name later on, but in the early 90s it was 'Syndrome'. They had an indie night and you would regularly see Blur, Lush and all the shoegazer bands on the dancefloor . I met Kurt Cobain in there.

I miss a lot of the music venues - Astoria, The Powerhouse etc.

stubbornstains - I remember the George Robey/Club Dog - there was always about 6 inches of water on the toilet floors

There's a church near the Forum in Kentish Town - does anyone remember this being a squat in the mind 90s? They used to have great parties there and it's where we got our drugs

Loads of great memories on this thread. It's made me realise that I had a wide circle of friends with lots of different interests - I did all the indie clubs/music venues, a lot of the squat/dog on string places, and all the dance clubs of the time - different crowds, but all good.

Cant believe Valeries became a chain. FFS!
Yy think it was Café de Paris you are thinking of.
Yy to Babushka - cheap Russian Vodka.
And Joes Café! and the Michelin building (still there?)
Sad that General Store went...

God, so many memories...

I know what you mean Minky. I guess youthful exuberance has something to do with it.

I remember most of these places, I have no idea how I afforded to go clubbing quite so frequently on my bookshop wages

I was often at Cuba Libra for happy hour Zombies and then to the Powerhouse in Angel. Thanks for the thread Sweetass

chazs yes me, went to loads of gigs there! Saw Nirvana there amongst lesser known bands. The Keith moon bar, propped me up of an evening.

All the old club talk has reminded me of this article about Lost London nightclubs of the 90s

Ooh heyluciani I went to the launch night of the End!

really must do some work

Cripes - this has made me super nostalgic and I still live in London and I'm not even in the suburbs. It must the reminder of how different I was at that particular time in my life. I wouldn't go back, but Lord I had fun ...

The Dogstar, Notting Hill Arts Club, The Aquarium, Bagleys, The Cross, The Velvet Rooms, Turnmills, The End - lol I was such a clubber. Worked hard and then played even harder. Illegal after parties on Charing Cross Rd and Oxford St.

Soho with all those great cheap Italian restaurants that you could afford and sharing pasta and wine with your girlfriends, eating out practically every night. Freuds and the Dive Bar and the Spanish Bar and Bar Italia before it become a tourist trap.

Bookshops and cafes and individuality.

I might have my rose tinted glasses on but London was a lot less corporate in those days and I preferred it.

Still one of the greatest cities in the world, though.

bialy - I should also do some work but this is far more interesting

This is a bit random, but does anyone remember the 'Protein Man' - an old guy at Oxford Circus who used to carry a placard proclaiming that protein made you horny?! Used to see him when I first moved here in the early 90s.

Ok, have just found him Stanley Green

Not sure we get so many people like this any more in London - eccentric, but harmless.

Yes I remember him on Oxford street. I remembered him not long ago and was interested to read about him on the web. No sitting