[Town_Fan]

hilly81, on 11 January 2017 - 10:36 AM, said:

The old YMCA was called Livingstones for a while.

That's the one.

[Skywalker]

JonB, on 11 January 2017 - 09:36 AM, said:

Same as me, as you will know being the same age

Old cinema was initally a pub then later expanded to be the nightclub called Zanzibar then more recently went through a couple of other names. There was a gap between Xanadu closing and Zanzibar opening that was filled by the Brad that later had a refurb and the two sides had different names. I thought one of those was Libertys with the other side being Genesis but could be wrong.

I really liked the Regal pub. Remember watching Naz fight Kevin Kelly in there.

[JonB]

Skywalker, on 11 January 2017 - 10:58 AM, said:

I really liked the Regal pub. Remember watching Naz fight Kevin Kelly in there.

Regal...that was it...couldnt remember the name for the life of me for some reason. Yeh it was a decent pub in what was basically the old cinema entrance that became the Zanzibar entrance. Used to be the second pub on our standard route round town back then having met in the Terminus, bus to town then start in Boma's Bar before Regal, Spires, Basement, Punchbowl, Norma Jeans, Pink Panther, Nelsons then Montys before heading to which ever club was the place to go at that time.

[Skywalker]

JonB, on 11 January 2017 - 11:06 AM, said:

Regal...that was it...couldnt remember the name for the life of me for some reason. Yeh it was a decent pub in what was basically the old cinema entrance that became the Zanzibar entrance. Used to be the second pub on our standard route round town back then having met in the Terminus, bus to town then start in Boma's Bar before Regal, Spires, Basement, Punchbowl, Norma Jeans, Pink Panther, Nelsons then Montys before heading to which ever club was the place to go at that time.

It's like a trip down memory lane. Very similar route to what we used to take.

[Town_Fan]

JonB, on 11 January 2017 - 11:06 AM, said:

Regal...that was it...couldnt remember the name for the life of me for some reason. Yeh it was a decent pub in what was basically the old cinema entrance that became the Zanzibar entrance. Used to be the second pub on our standard route round town back then having met in the Terminus, bus to town then start in Boma's Bar before Regal, Spires, Basement, Punchbowl, Norma Jeans, Pink Panther, Nelsons then Montys before heading to which ever club was the place to go at that time.

We had a very similar route that started off in the Rutland and ended in Monty's / Rutland before the club de jour.

Occasionally wild cards like the Badger and Sapphires might make an appearance. Once or twice the Market was the starting point with the Fleece on the way up to Rutland side of Town.

[JonB]

Skywalker, on 11 January 2017 - 11:51 AM, said:

It's like a trip down memory lane. Very similar route to what we used to take.

To be honest back then it was about the only route to take in the mid 90s or so. It was only towards the back end of the 90s you started to get some of the pubs down Corporation Street like Aruba, Barking Badger, Sett plus Yates, Portland etc as well to mix it up a bit. The only other one we sometimes popped in was Harveys because a mate did the DJing in there sometimes...it was bleeding awful!!

Town_Fan, on 11 January 2017 - 11:52 AM, said:

We had a very similar route that started off in the Rutland and ended in Monty's / Rutland before the club de jour.

Occasionally wild cards like the Badger and Sapphires might make an appearance. Once or twice the Market was the starting point with the Fleece on the way up to Rutland side of Town.

Towards the late 90s\early 00s we tended to start down at the Portland so called in the Fleece then Yates etc as a few more pubs opened, as mentioned, and things spread out a little. We occasionally, for example, would start at the Barley Mow then head to Douglas Robson and down that way as well.

[JonB]

Seems the new place does have a twitter account after all....

https://twitter.com/TheAvenueUK

[Westbars Spireite]

JonB, on 11 January 2017 - 10:31 AM, said:

The pork cobs were served in there during its Brad days as well from a little hatch by the bar in the Under 25s side. Also seem to remember that Xanadu served food in the Hollywood Bar bit as well but i cant say i ever dared try it...i just used to hang on and go to Tuminose before heading home.

Hot dogs and burgers basically at the very far end room. Regularly had two or three to soak up the rancid ale. Trophy Bitter on draft in my day!

I used to be partial to a Smirnoff Mule too. They were great.

This post has been edited by Westbars Spireite: 11 January 2017 - 12:49 PM

[JonB]

Westbars Spireite, on 11 January 2017 - 12:47 PM, said:

Hot dogs and burgers basically at the very far end room. Regularly had two or three to soak up the rancid ale. Trophy Bitter on draft in my day!

Yeh that seemed to be about it. Thinking back i can vaguely remember going to a Post Office Rec Club Xmas party there and part of the ticket price was a free burger so obviously i had it and it was one of those occasions that if you had enough ale it was always going to taste ok!! Think i stuck to bottled lagers back in those days...most of the draft lager round town in those days was awful!!

[Town_Fan]

Used to drink this stuff in the Brad.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=1TUOPeNJCK8

[JonB]

Hated that stuff along with Smirnoff Mule!! Remember they used to serve bottles of Rolling Rock lager which was very nice but these days its only available as some watered down 2% lager for some reason. They also used to serve something called Red C cider which was like rocket fuel for some reason and sent many of our lot on a downward spiral on many a night. Seem to remember Thurs\Fri nights also being some stupid buy 1 get 2 free on various VK stuff like VK Orange and alike. Those nights you got home and could never sleep thanks to the various e numbers and crap in the VK drinks!

Brad was good for a while if only for the fact a mate of ours worked behind the bar and every so often he would charge us 10p for the ordered drink putting it through as a splash of cordial rather than full price!! Savings could get put towards a serving of pie and peas from the van outside before going home!!

[Westbars Spireite]

What was the 'Irish' ale that was big in the 90s? Caffreys was everywhere but there was something red or green which were around alot.

Metz is a good call. Reefs were dangerous as they were like pop. You could down them in literally two seconds.

[JonB]

Westbars Spireite, on 11 January 2017 - 01:09 PM, said:

What was the 'Irish' ale that was big in the 90s? Caffreys was everywhere but there was something red or green which were around alot.

Vaguely remember what you are on about but cant remember the name. A quick google throws up Kilkennys but not sure it was that!

Carling Premier was big back then as well...lovely stuff and made a reappearance in the White Swan a couple of years ago.

Westbars Spireite, on 11 January 2017 - 01:09 PM, said:

Metz is a good call. Reefs were dangerous as they were like pop. You could down them in literally two seconds.

Alongside Reef was another one called Red which if you mixed the two in a pint pot made a rather tasty concoction with the imaginative name of "Reef n Red"!!

More early 2000s couple of places started doing these as well which were basically alcoholic milkshakes and if you werent careful properly sat on your stomach and were a recipe for throwing up!! Definitely remember there being a chocolate and strawberry versions but could have been others as well :-

[Comeonyouirons]

If ever a thread made me feel old .....

[Goku]

JonB, on 11 January 2017 - 09:36 AM, said:

Old cinema was initally a pub then later expanded to be the nightclub called Zanzibar then more recently went through a couple of other names.

Escapade then Department then Battery I think..

[fishini]

Skywalker, on 11 January 2017 - 10:58 AM, said:

I really liked the Regal pub. Remember watching Naz fight Kevin Kelly in there.

Named after the regal cinema before it became the ABC. Anyone remember the Gaurmont cinema under the Vic Veranda?

[Town_Fan]

Carling Premier - now we are talking.

Old speckled hen used to be red.

[Comeonyouirons]

Marksman Lager

[JonB]

Goku, on 11 January 2017 - 03:16 PM, said:

Escapade then Department then Battery I think..

Thats them...was Battery the small part that back in the day was Spires then became part of the nightclub and is now a Boyes Hardware shop?

[Paul stanley]

JonB, on 11 January 2017 - 12:58 PM, said:

Hated that stuff along with Smirnoff Mule!! Remember they used to serve bottles of Rolling Rock lager which was very nice but these days its only available as some watered down 2% lager for some reason. They also used to serve something called Red C cider which was like rocket fuel for some reason and sent many of our lot on a downward spiral on many a night. Seem to remember Thurs\Fri nights also being some stupid buy 1 get 2 free on various VK stuff like VK Orange and alike. Those nights you got home and could never sleep thanks to the various e numbers and crap in the VK drinks!

Brad was good for a while if only for the fact a mate of ours worked behind the bar and every so often he would charge us 10p for the ordered drink putting it through as a splash of cordial rather than full price!! Savings could get put towards a serving of pie and peas from the van outside before going home!!

Jesus what ever happened to red c used to have that in darlington about 15 year ago when it was a tenner all inclusive drink in a nightclub

JonB, on 11 January 2017 - 01:40 PM, said:

Vaguely remember what you are on about but cant remember the name. A quick google throws up Kilkennys but not sure it was that!

Carling Premier was big back then as well...lovely stuff and made a reappearance in the White Swan a couple of years ago.


Alongside Reef was another one called Red which if you mixed the two in a pint pot made a rather tasty concoction with the imaginative name of "Reef n Red"!!

More early 2000s couple of places started doing these as well which were basically alcoholic milkshakes and if you werent careful properly sat on your stomach and were a recipe for throwing up!! Definitely remember there being a chocolate and strawberry versions but could have been others as well :-

Carling premier still in White swan and nice too. Mind only know 3 other places doing it UK wide and pretty hard to find in cans too. Shame better than this craft treacle beer