Pam Dor Coffee Bar – Early 60’s Hastings

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supplied by Peter Millington

Peter Millington….Eric behind the counter at the Pam Dor Early 1960’s.

Mick Knights….That’s the ever popular Eric, the owner, serving. I, along with just about every teenage lad, was banned by him at one time or another!! The Pam Dor had the first Discotec in Hastings, which was on the second floor, a place I never entered, nor did very many, as it soon closed. its second incarnation was the Astral club, which morfed into Toff’s.

Peter Pursglove….i did the door up there for a few years until it closed Alan ,Mollly Russell ran it ,busy little club

Tom Boyer….Great times, we loved it, a fabulous place to meet. Tom & Lin Boyer (nee White)

Sue Bartholomew (Nee Finch)… I remember the Pam Dor, it was the best place to go, we paid a shilling entrance and that also got you a coffee or a frothy hot chocolate, and sit in there for as long as you wanted, it was always busy and behind in Middle Street was a long line of Lambrettas or Vespas belonging to some young lad who was in the Pam Dor.

Colin Bell… Love this photo Pete, met my first ‘proper’ girlfriend there…happy days…

Mick Mepham… Who were your ‘improper’ ones Colin and are you still in touch with them?

Nicola Dobson… Spent a lot of time in there…I remember that seating area..they should have coffee bars again Im sure they would be popular!

Mick O’Dowd… Met my first wife in there. Thought it was her friend that wanted to go out with me but it turned out I was wrong!

Allan Osborne… My fave haunt back in 1961. Those days it was one of the favorite haunts of the stonefield motorbike gang. They used the smaller room which was slightly higher than up than the rest of the place as I recall. They used to park their bikes out the front in opposite Wards. Those days you could do that. The place was like a second home to me and you could stay as long as you wanted and no one bugged you either as long as you kept drinking frothy coffee! Apart from the Fiesta it was probably the only place you could go to at the time on a Sunday morning and listen to the juke box. Happy days indeed! What number wife are you on these days Mick? You did mention wife number one I think!

Jane Hartley… I only remember it as the Astral, being a young slip of a girl! Lol

Pamela Taylor… It was a great place to go in those days in the 60’s I used to go in there with friends. Pamela Taylor (new Cartwright)

Peter Millington… I was still at school when I first went there – must have been late 1960 early 1961.

Alan Esdaile… I was still at school but probably 1966/1967, this, the Black Cat and The Fiesta.

Peter Millington… My Fiesta days started in late 1961 into 1962.

Alan Esdaile… Then went to the club up the stairs side entrance above Fiesta. Can’t remember the name?

Don Clark… Talk about the Stonefield Gang. My elder brother was part of them. Nigel (Nigs) Clark. I along with my other brother Dave used this coffee bar in the 60 ‘. I met my wife there while on leave from the RN. Amongst the boys I particularly remember ‘Oscar, Mick O’brien, Bunny & many more. Don Clark ( late of 141 Stonefield Road ).

Linda Day… I lived at 137 Stonefield Terrace I remember the Clarks in the end house.

Andre Martin… I think that without a doubt we had the best years at the Pam Dor 1962 – 1968 with a stretch. Looks like Christmas – thats Jenny Petty & Eric, great people and great place.

Jane Hartley… Blimey, so it is! I only knew Jenny from the early 80’s though.

Mick Knights… Was Nigs Clark aka Nobby Clark?

Wendy Weaver… I went in here about a week before it closed for good – must have been about 81/82?  Mainly a drinking club by then.

Mick O’Dowd… When I was a Mod (I’m a skinhead now) I used to park my scooter along with the other Mods around the back in Middle Street . This was a Mod hangout and there was The Fiesta for the student/hippy types and the cafe opposite the Pier (name escapes me) for the Rockers. In the middle was Fortes(opposite the then White Rock Baths where it was a no-mans land where anybody went. Great days!

Kevin Burchett… The Beachcomber.

Andre Martin… No the LIDO, the Beachcomber was more a fast food resturant.

Mick O’Dowd… That’s right  Andre.

Clive Wiltshire… What about the Fiesta?

Kev Towner… Trinity Street.

Lloyd Johnson… The Pamdor was the centre of my universe in the early 60s…i first went there around 61/62 ….I was talking to les Martin sometime ago, he help run the place and then run tThe Club on the top floor which was called ‘The Take Five’ club for a while according to Lance Tilbury .I vaguely remember that name, Les loved Take 5 by Dave Brubeck and wouldn’t allow it to be taken of the jukebox when the bloke that change the records came. I use to clean the floors before I went to The Art School each morning (the Brassey Institute in Claremont).The staff from the evening before would leave a lot of plays on the juke box for me and I would stand on the stairs between the two rooms ,pretend my mop was a guitar, the stairs was a stage and mime to the records and my none exstistant audience. The joys of a daydreamer!….all our lot would make up new dances in The Club upstairs and at one point Dave Muriel had his 21st birthday there and The Preachers played .Peter Frampton was the singer then..great party only around a couple of dozen of us…

Steve Miller… Spent a lot of time in the PamDor 1965-1970. Twoggy was serving at that time. Names I remember from then are Mick Baldock, Mick Betts, Titch Shine, Laurel Goodwin, Janice Godfrey, Linda Grey; and many many more whose names I can’t recall. So Many memories; the concert at the football field, Kinks on the pier, the ‘out door’ salt water swimming pool and the Cobweb disco. Some names stick though, like to couple who ran the Black Cat coffee bar ‘Lax and Elonka’ who used to do the high trapeze in a circus. Could never beat Lax at table football.

Lynn Graham… Continental coffee bar was my place to go. Worked there a few times for John and went out with Richard Masters for a while. He sat at the top of the stairs.

Lloyd Johnson… Was that on the Claremont and Robertson street corner?

Alan Esdaile… Yes, Lloyd. You probably knew it as The Nest Club?

Martin Richter…  hancock in the rebel ?

Lloyd Johnson… There was a Continental in Terminus Road in Eastbourne all our Pamdor gang would go there and FFINCHES in Eastbourne.On some weekends we’d go to The Starlight Rooms and The Scandinavia (The Scan) in Brighton. We thought we were being so adventurous , funny when I think of it now.

Andre Martin… Continental Club in Eastbourne was on several floors and I can remember bands and later discos working there, it was a bit of a struggle with equipment up all those bloody stairs, but the crowds were always good. FFinches was I think in Grove road, and the music was down stairs under the coffee bar. I think both of these clubs were woned by the smae guy who was involved with the slot machines and juke boxes in Eastbourne and area. All those years ago.

Ken Copsey… Heard Lloyd Johnson on the Gary Crowley show. Very entertaining and all told in a very attractive unassuming manor. You really should write a book. It was great to hear about your days studying art at the Brassey and hanging out at the Fiesta. I was doing the same thing 15 years later thinking I was very original!

Lloyd Johnson… Like most of us I think our youth seems the most exciting time of our lives but I think it’s the colourful way we remember the best parts of it …I tend to push to one side the memories of walking from Ore to the Memorial in deep snow because the buses weren’t running and I was bored witless sitting at home.I wanted to see my mates in The Pamdor…but! once I got there I’d find nobody had come out because of the weather…so then the evening would be spent walking from The Pamdor to The Fiesta ,nobody there, then to the Old Town, The Anchor, The Sombrero Coffee bar opposite,The Pump House and finally The Lord Nelson at least I could listen to Cyril Davies all stars there before one last ditch attempt to find at least one brave soul who wasn’t stuck at home watching ‘Take your Pick’ or some such boring ,brain dead TV Quizz Show with their family at home. So it was off to The Pamdor again more than likely with soaking trousers from the deep snow. …in reality if that was the worst it got I think our youth during the early 60s was very special a time of blossoming youth culture which of course DID change the world….the truly lucky generation….

Pete Millington… Great recollections Lloyd that I can relate to having lived the same experiences in the early 1960s. I wonder how many local groups travelled to gigs with all their equipment under the steps on local double decker busses, the Confederates did! I wonder how many groups pushed their equipment in a pram from Hollington to Westfield Church hall to play for the local music starved youths- The Confederates did! In the early days of the group, none of our parents had a car and taxis refused to pick up from any of our addresses. One other fact of those times was that all the live music venues I remember were “dry” ie no alcohol only soft drinks, and I keep hearing people say we had it easy – fat chance!

Lloyd Johnson… I was at some of those gigs Ginger/ Pete Millington as you know …..it was still great fun seemly being more ‘Grown Up’ and independent thinking we knew it all ( under the safety net of our families roof)…

Tony Court-holmes… remember it well whose bloody stairs

James Westlake… Memories, great times

Paul… Mid sixty years at pandor black cat and lots more . Mick who drank aftershave if nothing else was around. Bev, girlfriend was always there for him. Angela Smith always smiling. Liz Stevens first love of my life. Then Tina, Tina Payne then. Always in my mind! Me, I’m Paul. A very happy and different person now.

Steve Miller… Do you remember Twoggy who served behind the counter in the mid sixties or Tich shine

Stuart Moir… That was everybody’s haunt a bottle of Pepsi and sit all day

Sandie Carlyon… The man in the picture was Eric Jeffery my father in law. Long gone now, a lovely man.

Vaughan… (in reply to Steve Miller) Just stumbled across this site whilst looking for something completely different and was immediately transported back to the late ’60s / early 70s when I was at Hastings College of Art (traipsing between the Brassey Institute and the St Leonards site). Was on the student union at HCFE and was involved in booking social and the annual all nighters. Great times. Knew Twoggy (aka Jenny) well (we were briefly in a relationship that with hindsight was never going to last but was lovely at the time). Loads of reminiscences when I have time.

Steve Millet… Vaughan, what happened to Twoggy. She came up to my house in London with her current boyfriend to look for somewhere to rent. Never saw her again after she went back to Hastings. Would love to see her again for a chat.

Jane Hartley… Steve Millett, Jenny lives Eastbourne area now, but I haven’t seen her in years

Stuart Moir… One of my customers when I moved to Hastings with Drings cooked meats company, all that lovely ham you all ate in your rolls came from me.

Lloyd Johnson… I saw Jenny at Les Martin’s funeral a couple of years back…….she was full of life…..

Vaughan TW… (in reply to Steve Miller) I don’t know – I didn’t see her again after we parted company (1972 I think) as not long after that I moved down to Portsmouth. I am sure she will have done alright for herself whatever and is hopefully enjoying a happy life somewhere.

Martin Stringer… We think that’s my wife’s sister.

Ivan Stretten… was there a pub called the G I nearby?

Colin Bell… Yes Ivan, in Queens Road, the G,I, was re-named as The New Central in the 60’s then The Town Crier and now is Moda

Don Clark… Ivan, The answer to your question is yes. The GI was on the same side a few doors up.

Tony Court-holmes… and the silver dollar was in the old town but who knows where

Marilyn Spence… Used to go there when I was still a schoolgirl early ‘60’s at the weekends with my wicker basket. Meet up with my sister and other friends. Would stay all day drinking coffee and dancing to the great tunes on the jukebox. A favourite was Del Shannon’s Little Town Flirt which we did our own little jive to. Used to call it Jillian’s jive cos my sister’s friend Jillian had choreographed it. Only stopped going cos my sister and I moved to Australia late 1964 Great times

16 thoughts on “Pam Dor Coffee Bar – Early 60’s Hastings”

  1. I remember the Pam Dor, it was the best place to go, we paid a shilling entrance and that also got you a coffee or a frothy hot chocolate, and sit in there for as long as you wanted, it was always busy and behind in Middle Street was a long line of Lambrettas or Vespas belonging to some young lad who was in the Pam Dor.

    Reply
  2. My fave haunt back in 1961. Those days it was one of the favorite haunts of the stonefield motorbike gang. They used the smaller room which was slightly higher than up than the rest of the place as I recall. They used to park their bikes out the front in opposite Wards. Those days you could do that. The place was like a second home to me and you could stay as long as you wanted and no one bugged you either as long as you kept drinking frothy coffee! Apart from the Fiesta it was probably the only place you could go to at the time on a Sunday morning and listen to the juke box. Happy days indeed! What number wife are you on these days Mick? You did mention wife number one I think!

    Reply
  3. It was a great place to go in those days in the 60’s I used to go in there with friends. Pamela Taylor (new Cartwright)

    Reply
  4. Talk about the Stonefield Gang. My elder brother was part of them. Nigel (Nigs) Clark. I along with my other brother Dave used this coffee bar in the 60 ‘. I met my wife there while on leave from the RN. Amongst the boys I particularly remember ‘Oscar, Mick O’brien, Bunny & many more.
    Don Clark ( late of 141 Stonefield Road ).

    Reply
    • The Pamdor was the centre of my universe in the early 60s…i first went there around 61/62 ….I was talking to les Martin sometime ago, he help run the place and then run tThe Club on the top floor which was called ‘The Take Five’ club for a while according to Lance Tilbury .I vaguely remember that name, Les loved Take 5 by Dave Brubeck and wouldn’t allow it to be taken of the jukebox when the bloke that change the records came .I use to clear the floors before I went to The Art School each morning (the Brassey Institute in Claremont).The staff from the evening before would leave a lot of plays on the juke box for me and I would stand on the stairs between the two rooms ,pretend my mop was a guitar, the stairs was a stage and mime to the records and my none exstistant audience. The joys of a daydreamer!….all our lot would make up new dances in The Club upstairs and at one point Dave Muriel had his 21st birthday there and The Preachers played .Peter Frampton was the singer then..great party only around a couple of dozen of us…

      Reply
  5. Spent a lot of time in the PanDor 1965-1970. Twoggy was serving at that time. Names I remember from then are Mick Baldock, Mick Betts, Titch Shine, Laurel Goodwin, Janice Godfrey, Linda Grey; and many many more whose names I can’t recall. So Many memories; the concert at the football field, Kinks on the pier, the ‘out door’ salt water swimming pool and the Cobweb disco. Some names stick though, like to couple who ran the Black Cat coffee bar ‘Lax and Elonka’ who used to do the high trapeze in a circus. Could never beat Lax at table football.

    Reply
  6. Mid sixty years at pandor black cat and lots more . Mick who drank aftershave if nothing else was around. Bev, girlfriend was always there for him. Angela smith always smiling. Liz Stevens first love of my life. Then Tina, Tina Payne then. Always in my mind! Me, I’m Paul. A very happy and different person now. Paulkevinattfield@gmail.com

    Reply
    • Just stumbled across this site whilst looking for something completely different and was immediately transported back to the late ’60s / early 70s when I was at Hastings College of Art (traipsing between the Brassey Institute and the St Leonards site). Was on the student union at HCFE and was involved in booking social and the annual all nighters. Great times. Knew Twoggy (aka Jenny) well (we were briefly in a relationship that with hindsight was never going to last but was lovely at the time). Loads of reminiscences when I have time.

      Reply
      • What happened to Twoggy. She came up to my house in London with her current boyfriend to look for somewhere to rent. Never saw her again after she went back to Hastings. Would love to see her again for a chat.

        Reply
        • I don’t know – I didn’t see her again after we parted company (1972 I think) as not long after that I moved down to Portsmouth. I am sure she will have done alright for herself whatever and is hopefully enjoying a happy life somewhere.

          Reply
  7. Used to go there when I was still a schoolgirl early ‘60’s at the weekends with my wicker basket Meet up with my sister and other friends Would stay all day drinking coffee and dancing to the great tunes on the jukebox A favourite was Del Shannon’s Little Town Flirt which we did our own little jive to Used to call it Jillian’s jive cos my sister’s friend Jillian had choreographed it Only stopped going cos my sister and I moved to Australia late 1964 Great times

    Reply

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