How grim was mid 1970's London?
Discussion
TwigtheWonderkid said:
If someone had suggested in the 70s that Stratford would host the Olympics, they would have been instantly declared insane and beyond all help. It was a s
thole until relatively recently.
Well there's old Stratford (E15) and new Stratford (E20)thole until relatively recently. E20 has lots of Porsches parked outside the apartments and E15 is still a s
thole. 
vixen1700 said:
Walked to Stratford Westfield today and passed the Railway Tavern in Angel Lane, Stratford and it made me think of this thread as it was the epitome of grimness in the '70s.
Surprising is it's still there considering all the modernisations all around it.
Have our union branch meetings there. It’s not a bad pub all told.Surprising is it's still there considering all the modernisations all around it.
Weird thing about the road it’s on is you have brand new spangly flats on one side of the road where you won’t get much change out of £500k and on the opposite side is a scummy council estate where £500k would probably buy the entire estate
. Stratford is scum central though and I’m not sure if many of the new residents ever set foot outside the new apartments complex’s, the Olympic park,Westfield or the train station.
Anybody else remember Dicky Dirts? Massive selection of denim based in a repurposed cinema somewhere out in West London.
As a callow youth from NW Kent I thought I’d have a look one Saturday. When Chelsea were playing at home. In 1979.
Seldom have I been so happy to stay on a bus. Past Stamford Bridge and away from the sea of pissed up blue supporters.
Dad bought our first computer in Tottenham Court Road the same year (Commodore Pet 8k), and we all schlepped up there to collect it. Fab place for tech loving teens.
However, to get there you had to traverse SE London and that was grim. Interesting, but grim.
As a callow youth from NW Kent I thought I’d have a look one Saturday. When Chelsea were playing at home. In 1979.
Seldom have I been so happy to stay on a bus. Past Stamford Bridge and away from the sea of pissed up blue supporters.
Dad bought our first computer in Tottenham Court Road the same year (Commodore Pet 8k), and we all schlepped up there to collect it. Fab place for tech loving teens.
However, to get there you had to traverse SE London and that was grim. Interesting, but grim.
I remember Dicky Dirts well! I took my girlfriend at the time there on my motorbike but didn't see any Chelsea fans, other than when I looked in the mirror!
My memories of 70s London are pretty monochrome, but at least you could park for free in the street in places like Clapham, Balham, Tooting, etc. although I doubt that is possible now.
I went to see Prince at the 02 years ago, but getting there and back from Berkshire was a real PITA.
But I didn't learn and bought tickets to see the Foofighters at the Olympic Stadium in 2018. Getting there from Berkshire took longer than driving to Birmingham - I won't be going again.To add to the travel misery it's a pretty soul-less venue, but then where it is seems soul-less too so at least it's in keeping with the environment!
My memories of 70s London are pretty monochrome, but at least you could park for free in the street in places like Clapham, Balham, Tooting, etc. although I doubt that is possible now.
I went to see Prince at the 02 years ago, but getting there and back from Berkshire was a real PITA.
But I didn't learn and bought tickets to see the Foofighters at the Olympic Stadium in 2018. Getting there from Berkshire took longer than driving to Birmingham - I won't be going again.To add to the travel misery it's a pretty soul-less venue, but then where it is seems soul-less too so at least it's in keeping with the environment!
Dickie Dirts on an awkward corner in Fulham for me. Mind you, loads of places in London were awkward before the M25. It was around the time i became aware of the long game confidence trick. It was called the long game even though some of them were quick. In this form, the long game would start with posters appearing advertising a sale of clothes or electrical goods in a town hall or sports stadium, folk would flock there and grab real bargains. The gang organising it had set up as legitimate traders, established credit with manufacturers and wholesalers, filled the venue, sold the stuff and vanished leaving the suppliers with nothing. I used to wonder if Dickie Dirts was a similar set up. The cheapest 501s known to man.
too. Dickie Dirts was a huge draw, they bought a lot of clothes on the grey market. Levi’s, Pepe, Brutus etc.
North End Road where it was is still pretty rough, a lot of Minder was filmed around there and there are still a lot of “Old School” Londoners there even though a terraced house is well over a million.
Used to go to Lillie Road Fitness centre in the 89’s. You paid to use the gym by the half hour.
Running parallel is Fulham Palace road, and Pardons green. Very different areas.
A little East was Earls Court which was popular with Aussie backpackers, lots of great pubs with bands and parking was a doddle.
Then the Sloane Ranger arrived and things started to change.
North End Road where it was is still pretty rough, a lot of Minder was filmed around there and there are still a lot of “Old School” Londoners there even though a terraced house is well over a million.
Used to go to Lillie Road Fitness centre in the 89’s. You paid to use the gym by the half hour.
Running parallel is Fulham Palace road, and Pardons green. Very different areas.
A little East was Earls Court which was popular with Aussie backpackers, lots of great pubs with bands and parking was a doddle.
Then the Sloane Ranger arrived and things started to change.
vixen1700 said:
Walked to Stratford Westfield today and passed the Railway Tavern in Angel Lane, Stratford and it made me think of this thread as it was the epitome of grimness in the '70s.
Surprising is it's still there considering all the modernisations all around it.
Used to finish nights at 6am and straight into the Railway for a few pints then drive home Surprising is it's still there considering all the modernisations all around it.
The place would be rammed .. pimps, prostitutes, posties railwaymen, clubbers and coppers
What a place
TwigtheWonderkid said:
SpudLink said:
Probably adverts on Capital Radio.
The Houndsditch.....warehouse.........a world full of bargains just waiting for you in our store. (or something like that) Augustus Barnett.
Interest rates were so high they bought spirits at 90 day payment terms, sold the hooch at cost, banked the money and waited for the interest to roll in. Queues for a hundred yards down the Harrow Road.
Don't know if it worked long term. Anyone know if Augustus Barnett survived?
Interest rates were so high they bought spirits at 90 day payment terms, sold the hooch at cost, banked the money and waited for the interest to roll in. Queues for a hundred yards down the Harrow Road.
Don't know if it worked long term. Anyone know if Augustus Barnett survived?
motco said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
SpudLink said:
Probably adverts on Capital Radio.
The Houndsditch.....warehouse.........a world full of bargains just waiting for you in our store. (or something like that) IIRC
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4a_DmCOAjOU
Edited by Andy 308GTB on Saturday 17th April 14:44
DickyC said:
Augustus Barnett.
Interest rates were so high they bought spirits at 90 day payment terms, sold the hooch at cost, banked the money and waited for the interest to roll in. Queues for a hundred yards down the Harrow Road.
Don't know if it worked long term. Anyone know if Augustus Barnett survived?
That's the place! Thanks! Interest rates were so high they bought spirits at 90 day payment terms, sold the hooch at cost, banked the money and waited for the interest to roll in. Queues for a hundred yards down the Harrow Road.
Don't know if it worked long term. Anyone know if Augustus Barnett survived?
Thankyou4calling said:
TwigtheWonderkid said:
The Houndsditch.....warehouse.........a world full of bargains just waiting for you in our store. (or something like that)
Was that “The big red building in Petticoat Lane” ?The Houndsditch Warehouse was located on.....wait for it.....Houndsditch, EC3.
Last time I saw children without shoes was 1981 or 1982, North London.
Went to school in London in the 1970s. Still had "bombsites" in areas that certainly weren't stholes. Would probably look really tatty from contemporary photos, but I don't recall it being horrible.
As a child I could certainly move around across the whole city on foot or public transport without feeling at all vulnerable. (And I don't think that's rose tinted spectacles, or young person's feelings of invincibility!).
Went to school in London in the 1970s. Still had "bombsites" in areas that certainly weren't s
tholes. Would probably look really tatty from contemporary photos, but I don't recall it being horrible. As a child I could certainly move around across the whole city on foot or public transport without feeling at all vulnerable. (And I don't think that's rose tinted spectacles, or young person's feelings of invincibility!).
Fascinating thread. Have Irish Republican attacks been discussed?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_in...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terrorist_in...
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