Edinburgh Nightclubs of Yesteryear

[jamboz]

The Wee Red Bar

[frankblack]

Nicky Tams ?

 

Nicky Tams was the pub on Victoria Street above The Mission club already mentioned. You had to walk downstairs from the pub to get into the club.

 

Both are now part of Espionage. I've never been in Espionage.

 

One time in the Mission my mate was pissed and fell asleep. A bouncer came round and was going to kick him out. There was just the two of us, so I asked if I could go for a piss on the way out. When I came out the bouncer was gone so we went into the weird club on the top floor of the club and spent the rest of the night there without being caught.

[ManxandCapeTownJambo]

Mad Hatters

[graygo]

sinatras was up stairs in St James center

 

It certainly was, had my 21st there a couple of years back.

 

Was also the Top of the Walk nightclub, something like that anyway.

[Craig_]

Nicky Tams was the pub on Victoria Street above The Mission club already mentioned. You had to walk downstairs from the pub to get into the club.

 

Both are now part of Espionage. I've never been in Espionage.

 

One time in the Mission my mate was pissed and fell asleep. A bouncer came round and was going to kick him out. There was just the two of us, so I asked if I could go for a piss on the way out. When I came out the bouncer was gone so we went into the weird club on the top floor of the club and spent the rest of the night there without being caught.

 

Had a similar experience - was kicked out for smoking a joint in the Mission, so just went out the back door, right the way round and back up Victoria Street, then back in the front! Great days...

[Del1812]

Establishment.

 

50p a drink on a Thursdays. There used to be a queue round the corner before it'd even opened.

[moogsy]

Establishment.

 

50p a drink on a Thursdays. There used to be a queue round the corner before it'd even opened.

 

Miss that place, first club I really went to at 16/17 as they weren't too strict on IDing folk.

 

Quadruple vodka, blackcurrant and lemonade was my drink. Only ?2

[Peebo]

Establishment.

 

50p a drink on a Thursdays. There used to be a queue round the corner before it'd even opened.

 

It's incarnation as the Red Hot is perhaps more in keeping with this thread. Basically under both names, a shite discotheque, but it was indeed a good laugh for a while post-work on a Friday.

[JT1959]

What was the bar/club in St Andrews Street on the right hand side when coming from Princes Street? It had a bar on the ground floor, a restaurant ???? on the second floor, and a bar with small dance floor on the third floor. I was never out of it in the early 80's but can't remember the name.

[Suspect Device]

What was the bar/club in St Andrews Street on the right hand side when coming from Princes Street? It had a bar on the ground floor, a restaurant ???? on the second floor, and a bar with small dance floor on the third floor. I was never out of it in the early 80's but can't remember the name.

Gatsbys ?

What about Bobby McGees on Rose St lane

[graygo]

What was the bar/club in St Andrews Street on the right hand side when coming from Princes Street? It had a bar on the ground floor, a restaurant ???? on the second floor, and a bar with small dance floor on the third floor. I was never out of it in the early 80's but can't remember the name.

 

There was Gatsby's and Mr Mustards (I'm an auld git)

[Stuarty]

Taste (mid ninties) at the original honeycomb. First night I walked in there ... was a Monday morning 12.30am. Absolutely rockin! Full of people there for the pleasure...

 

Pure (early nineties) ... total carnage! Loved it. Party til you puke!

[¼½¾]

I remember most of them... Tho not the Fountain or The place.. Everybodys in Blair St i went to cos my pals sister owned it and free rink... Im the same as you never heard of most of the places on this thread...

 

Everybody's? Was that the place that became the Revolution?

[belly]

Sinatras - St James Centre

Top O' The Walk - St James Centre

Bobby McGees - Rose St Lane Nth

Buster Browns - Market Street

Clouds - Tollcross

The Nightclub - The Playhouse

Tiffany's - St Stephen's Street

Calton Studios - Calton Road

Cinderellas - St Stephen's St

Fat Sam's - Tollcross

The Fountain - Barnton

The Place - Victoria Street

 

All places "visited" on occasions from 70's - 80's, and while not really what the OP was after may jog some memories.

 

I will cry myself to sleep now, as I realise that I am too old for most of the "Clubs of Yesteryear" mentioned by others...

 

Wasn't Fat Sams a restaurant on the corner opposite TopKapi kebab house, with the disco next door to it?

[belly]

mid-late eighties

 

The Cats Pyjamas - Stables Road I think - always seemed to be quiet (maybe me though)

Mad Hatters - Royal Mile - if I mind right it was popular with the tourists

Cinderellas - used to like the night where you chose how much you wanted to pay to get in, and then get twice that back in drink vouchers.

Buster Browns - was ok. Pretty sure Stephen Hendry was there more often than not.

Outer Limits - didn'y go there that much and don't remember ever being in the Hootchie Cootchie Club.

Th Red Hot Chilli Pepper Club?? Went there a few times but nothing memorable

There was one downstairs just off Shandwick Place but canny mind it's name. Was busy but don't think it lasted very long.

 

Was plenty good pubs for underagers back then as well

 

The Red Hot Pepper Club, that was on Semple Street just behind the ABC.

[The Mighty Thor]

 

The Red Hot Pepper Club, that was on Semple Street just behind the ABC.

Wasn't it called Annabelle's in the mid 80's?

I'm sure I remember a murder or some such then it closed and reopened as something else?

[Der Kaiser]

Music Box for Evol every Friday night. Went so often bouncers would sometimes let us skip any queue.

Dirty, grimy, wet walls, weird chillout area but proper Indie venue with good tunes. Used to drink a lot of Red in there as it was always a ?1 a bottle.

Was never the same after they did it up and it became the Liquid Rooms.

 

Evol was my favourite night in Edinburgh......first time I had a feel of boobies was on the stairs in there.

 

 

[Peebo]

Music Box for Evol every Friday night. Went so often bouncers would sometimes let us skip any queue.

Dirty, grimy, wet walls, weird chillout area but proper Indie venue with good tunes. Used to drink a lot of Red in there as it was always a ?1 a bottle.

Was never the same after they did it up and it became the Liquid Rooms.

 

Evol was my favourite night in Edinburgh......first time I had a feel of boobies was on the stairs in there.

 

 

We used to go to Hammered at the Music Box just about every Thursday. 50p a bottle of Beck's.

[Serj Tankian]

 

 

Gatsbys ?

What about Bobby McGees on Rose St lane

 

Became Edgars named after Edgar Ramsey then Blue Oyster Bar like the one from police academy now a gym

[mikeyt11]

I'm guessing no one else went to the biz, several wasted nights. Used to be a shitty club further up the road that was open 7 days, now the strip joint?. Biz shut down then went on to red hot p club, then century. Which was always good on a weds nite, student night. Wink wink

[Serj Tankian]

 

I'm guessing no one else went to the biz, several wasted nights. Used to be a shitty club further up the road that was open 7 days, now the strip joint?. Biz shut down then went on to red hot p club, then century. Which was always good on a weds nite, student night. Wink wink

 

In the biz loads of times Lord Toms is what you are on about great bar became Baracuda went down hill then

[Jamboray]

 

Clubs I used to go to were

 

Cinderellas

Buster Browns

Rumours (Lothian Road)

 

What was the place near the Caledonian Hotel, think you went down stairs to get in?

Not a club but used to like Bianco's!

 

Oscars

[Der Kaiser]

Does anyone remember BIG at the the jaffacake? It was like ?10 at the door then free drink all night. Of course the bar was constantly 3 or 4 deep unless you wanted to risk one of the staff firing a supersoaker full of some fruity tasting p1sh into your gob. I remember seeing folk unconcious on the toilet floor, vomitting into the urinals and even saw a drunk guy attempt to take a sh1t in a urinal before falling off while his mates egged him on. Pretty sure they cancelled the free drink night fairly quickly.

 

Also ended up in the jaffacake the night it got raided by the police.......mere minutes after we had just paid to get in.......

[mac]

Great thread. I've got a vague, extremely underage memory of 'Palmers' up the Bridges, can anyone mind it?

 

Yes, I do - had a bird who worked there, was more of an "upmarket" pub/bar at the time - think it's now a chippie;-)))

[mac]

Wasn't Fat Sams a restaurant on the corner opposite TopKapi kebab house, with the disco next door to it?

 

Ah, stop it! You're bringing back some fantastic food memories of "TopKapi" - loved that place:(

[Jambomb]

What was walkers called before, seem to remember it having some sort of dr who theme!!

 

Was it the Engine Room queensferry st lane? Tiny club but magic!

 

Always remember Friday after work parties chasing the ?1 a pint/free double deals.

Walker, subway, red hot then .....

 

Loved pure, tribal etc.. The venue was Magic as was Wilkie house, Saturday nights in edinburgh in the 90s where awesome!.

The vaults.

Liquid rooms doing indie was good, madchester!

 

Outside OP

Anyone go further afield, bunker, Zen, nosebleed (lol), hanger, Saltcoats (can't remember name?),fubar, Arbroath!!

 

Back on OP

Later on we had Eros and elite at fountain park! Was it brannigans and the beach club beside it?

[Unkle Disfunktional]

What was walkers called before, seem to remember it having some sort of dr who theme!!

 

Was it the Engine Room queensferry st lane? Tiny club but magic!

 

Always remember Friday after work parties chasing the ?1 a pint/free double deals.

Walker, subway, red hot then .....

 

Loved pure, tribal etc.. The venue was Magic as was Wilkie house, Saturday nights in edinburgh in the 90s where awesome!.

The vaults.

Liquid rooms doing indie was good, madchester!

 

Outside OP

Anyone go further afield, bunker, Zen, nosebleed (lol), hanger, Saltcoats (can't remember name?),fubar, Arbroath!!

 

Back on OP

Later on we had Eros and elite at fountain park! Was it brannigans and the beach club beside it?

Pure was awesome.Twitch & Brainstorm defo top of the game.The club in Saltcoats was The Metropolis.Every Friday was the pure then on saturday The Hacienda in glasgow.We ran a bus for over a year.What a club that was./Quadrant park in Liverpool was also amazing.Went twice on a bus from Edinburgh.The greatest days of our lives.

[stuart500]

Sinatras - St James Centre

Top O' The Walk - St James Centre

Bobby McGees - Rose St Lane Nth

Buster Browns - Market Street

Clouds - Tollcross

The Nightclub - The Playhouse

Tiffany's - St Stephen's Street

Calton Studios - Calton Road

Cinderellas - St Stephen's St

Fat Sam's - Tollcross

The Fountain - Barnton

The Place - Victoria Street

 

All places "visited" on occasions from 70's - 80's, and while not really what the OP was after may jog some memories.

 

I will cry myself to sleep now, as I realise that I am too old for most of the "Clubs of Yesteryear" mentioned by others...

 

This brought back so many memories.

 

How about also

 

The Chameleon (Abercrombie place)

Valentinos and The Muscular Arms (West Port)

Aquarius (Grindlay Street)

The Bandwagon (Frederick st)

 

Had many a night in the above.

 

 

[Jambomb]

Pure was awesome.Twitch & Brainstorm defo top of the game.The club in Saltcoats was The Metropolis.Every Friday was the pure then on saturday The Hacienda in glasgow.We ran a bus for over a year.What a club that was./Quadrant park in Liverpool was also amazing.Went twice on a bus from Edinburgh.The greatest days of our lives.

 

Yea greatest days, yer damn right! Did Cream in Liverpool once, unreal!

[Morgan]

This brought back so many memories.

 

How about also

 

The Chameleon (Abercrombie place)

Valentinos and The Muscular Arms (West Port)

Aquarius (Grindlay Street)

The Bandwagon (Frederick st)

 

Had many a night in the above.

The Aquarius, as mentioned on the other pubs and clubs thread.

[gsprott]

 I was the Dj at the Aquarius!  Made a lot of friends there - pies at 10pm so that you could drink till 11 or 12 (supper licence) David Essex - Gonna make you a star and Hold me close. Great atmosphere - I was also the DJ at Chameleon.

 

We made our own entertainment - parties from 12 . Streets were empty by 1am!! 

[cannonfoda]

.

[Morgan]

I was the Dj at the Aquarius!  Made a lot of friends there - pies at 10pm so that you could drink till 11 or 12 (supper licence) David Essex - Gonna make you a star and Hold me close. Great atmosphere - I was also the DJ at Chameleon.

 

We made our own entertainment - parties from 12 . Streets were empty by 1am!!

 

What year was that mate?

[Rupert Pupkin]

Paradox club - Calton Studious (Davy Fleming) Friday night.

Club Solution - Calton Studios ( Jonny and Kevin) Saturday night.

Pure - The Venue (Keith, Andy ,Russ and Bill) Fridays

Wave - The Venue

All these clubs and guys gave me the best nights ever, and my musical education.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Double post.

Edited March 1, 2017 by Rupert Pupkin

[gsprott]

Aquarius - 1974

[ericb]

Aquarius - 1974

 

Was there a place up opposite the Odeon on Clerk Street called Uptown?

[the general]

im sure it was further along where the KFC is opposite Mosque Kitchen

[Brian Whittaker's Tache]

I seem to remember when it was your 18th or 21st, you used to get a party invite in the post from various clubs in the town.

IIRC it was you and 9 of your mates in for free (before 12) and a bottle of fizzy wine to share. I remember getting one from Cinderella's and Zenatec back in the day!

[joe.gausden]

I seem to remember when it was your 18th or 21st, you used to get a party invite in the post from various clubs in the town.

 

IIRC it was you and 9 of your mates in for free (before 12) and a bottle of fizzy wine to share. I remember getting one from Cinderella's and Zenatec back in the day!

Yeah I got one from Outer Limits

[rael11]

I seem to remember when it was your 18th or 21st, you used to get a party invite in the post from various clubs in the town.

 

 

IIRC it was you and 9 of your mates in for free (before 12) and a bottle of fizzy wine to share. I remember getting one from Cinderella's and Zenatec back in the day!

I got one from Millionaires. Can't remember where that was though. Edited March 2, 2017 by rael11

[merrymac]

Aquarius - 1974

I was one of your loyal devotees . Great wee place smashing atmosphere - those were the days

[Morgan]

I was one of your loyal devotees . Great wee place smashing atmosphere - those were the days

Did it become Topos immediately after being Aquarius or was it something in between?

[Governor Tarkin]

Paradox club - Calton Studious (Davy Fleming) Friday night.

Club Solution - Calton Studios ( Jonny and Kevin) Saturday night.

Pure - The Venue (Keith, Andy ,Russ and Bill) Fridays

Wave - The Venue

All these clubs and guys gave me the best nights ever, and my musical education.

Had my first dancing tablet at the Paradox club. What a time to be young.

[merrymac]

Did it become Topos immediately after being Aquarius or was it something in between?[/quote

 

Now you are testing me???

 

To be honest cant remember without checking with a few mates, who might have more brain cells left!!

[the general]

Did it become Topos immediately after being Aquarius or was it something in between?[/quote

 

Now you are testing me???

 

To be honest cant remember without checking with a few mates, who might have more brain cells left!!

 

I thought it went straight from one to the other

was one of the few places we could get into

btw love the user name

[Deviskan]

Start of the 90's...Calton Studios on a Saturday night, Club Solution with DJ The Waxman and Dynamic D MC.

 

Some awesome nights there...I think, from what I can still remember!

[merrymac]

I thought it went straight from one to the other

was one of the few places we could get into

btw love the user name

A wee east coast play on words!

[Caramoon]

ufo,pure and summer house at the venue. Slam 3d,maelstrom,awesome 101 at ingliston.

[Stuart Lyon]

This site was mentioned very early in this thread but no link provided.

 

http://www.edinburghgigarchive.com/page27.htm

 

The very first bit is about the Aquarius