Memory Lane Nightclubs of Southend

[Bielzibubz]

Following on from the excellent 'Southend High Street' thread and a conversation about music with Andy T it got me thinking. Those of you of a certain age, what was your favourite nightclub of the area from back in the day (late 70's 80's and 90's) and what are your memories of said club/s

Personally, being an old soul boy, I have a special fondness for Zivago's and Zero 6.

 

[Benfleet A1]

Kings Club on Canvey was always good for a boogie and punch up.

 

[MK Shrimper]

I think the only one I was dragged to was Tots. Once was enough.

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

Always liked the Creeksea Ferry Inn in Rochford back in the day (early 70's).

 

[AndyT]

Well for me I guess Zero6 was the main haunt, because of the music, but I also attended TOTS, Rain (there used to be a good soul night there in the early eighties) Zhivago's. I guess I must have been in them all at some point, except Stocks!

Mr B's was good during the acid house era, as well.

I also remember a couple of more backstreet places. I'm sure one was in Leigh with late opening (almost like a sort of illegal place with doorman only allowing in who they knew) and wasn't there one in a basement in Wilson Road, round the back of the Cliffs and on the conservation area estate?

West One wasn't too bad in the early nineties and a little bar in Milton Road, which escapes me now. Opposite where the Vauxhall showroom place used to be. Began with an 'S' I think.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

High Society / Monroes when it was taken over by the youth. Rare groove on Friday nights and punk / indie on Saturday (or the other way around) for a few months till it was shut down.
'Outers' acid house night on a Monday too in the late 80's at whatever that club was called near the old Odeon.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

Kings Club on Canvey was always good for a boogie and punch up.

Goldmine on Canvey has a bit of history too.

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

Further afield - Pink Toothbrush/Crocs.
Rare groove people moved around a lot - Hadleigh Suite, Chickenshack - though I think that was maybe just illegal parties, Windmill in Hanningfield was rammed on Sunday afternoons, and a large pub maybe in Thorpe Bay for a few weeks.

Nowadays the Railway has a lot going on and seems to be a little slice of the Southend alternative culture vibe that is always there if you go looking for it.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Toothbrush of course. My kind of club and a bit of an oasis for alternative music types in the early 90s. The places where you had to put your best suit on to get into a meat market was absolute anathema to me.

 

[AndyT]

I forgot Chesters in the High Street

 

[Another Surrey Shrimper]

Toothbrush of course. My kind of club and a bit of an oasis for alternative music types in the early 90s. The places where you had to put your best suit on to get into a meat market was absolute anathema to me.

always carry a ventolin

 

[OldBlueLady]

Zhivagos was the main one I went to with my group of friends, Tots just the once, Zero 6 a couple of times. What was the one next door to Zhivagos called, was that Raquels or was that one of the incarnations of Rain?

 

[AndyT]

I think Zhivagos became Raquels.

Not sure though

 

[OldBlueLady]

No, I'm sure it was next door - they occasionally opened up the joining wall to make it much bigger. Maybe it was Annabelle's, that name was also one of the nightclubs in Southend.

 

[Bielzibubz]

Take your pick.....4 decades and I can't think of any more. Can you/

46 Club, Zhivagoes, Moonraker, Chesters/Waves, Quills, Raquels, Annabella's, Zero 6, Raquells, Storm, Rain, TOTS, Chameleon, Hats, Fantasy, Toothbrush, The Factory, Mayhem (and it was) Penny Farthing.....

 

[Bielzibubz]

I think Zhivagos became Raquels.

Not sure though

Raquels was in Basildon. Opened up to become Annabelles?

I seem to remember The Ivy House having the same kinda thing. Opened up a doorway from the pub through to Quills next door. Called it the Hole in the Wall if memory serves

 

[Bielzibubz]

No, I'm sure it was next door - they occasionally opened up the joining wall to make it much bigger. Maybe it was Annabelle's, that name was also one of the nightclubs in Southend.

See above lol

 

[Firestorm]

Never one for clubs, and living in Billericay didn’t come to Southend for much other than the football and gigs at the Kursaal
Zhivago’s, it think that was it, the one in the hammersham, was the only one, once.
Crocs in Rayleigh a few times, but tbh, if it was drinking and music, it was usually my local and take the jukebox over....

 

[LCBB72]

Best disco in the area when I was young was The Galleon Bar down the cellars at Queens Hotel Hamlet Court Road , it was the place to go , I met a 14 year old girl there when I was 16 , that girl became my wife and we have been married 45 years last month . .

 

[MK Shrimper]

Thinking about it, I went to one on Canvey. No idea what it was called.