Black Cat Coffee Bar – 1970’s

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photo 1 supplied by Bertie Wiseman, photo 2 supplied by Terry Huggins

Anyone remember The Black Cat Coffee Bar? Entrance in York Buildings.Here’s Steve Demetri & Paul Wiseman sitting at the window of the upstairs coffee bar. You can see Woolworths over the far side of the road. You can see the Mac Fisheries sign and also Mozley’s sign.

Yvonne Cleland… Ha! The window seat! Practically lived in this place when the Lido closed! Llonka. 1 and 6 to get in with a free drink! Table footie. Look one way – see what was going on in the cafe, look the other way – see what was going on in the town!

Alan Esdaile… I also lived in the window seat when I was not playing the pinball machine.

Martin Richter… and the “mac-fisheries” sign!

Andre Martin… Over MacFisheries

Martyn Baker…  Chatte Noi

Mick Mepham… Was that the same place as the Pam Dor anyone?

Yvonne Cleland… No, Mick, the Pam Dor was in Queen’s Road. The Black Cat’s entrance was in that funny little back street that divides up the Arcade. (Not that I’m old enough to have gone in the Pam Dor but I seem to remember it being there.)

Alan Esdaile… The Pam Dor was over the road from The Disc Jockey .

Andre Martin… The PamDor did start in York Buildings, where the MacFisheries was located, I think it was where the the Chemists shop was, but it might have been in the same location at the Black Cat – must double check listings. the site in Queens road opened in 1961. Location correction – NOT Castle Street, but York Buildings, the no was either 6 Mac Fisheries or 8 which I think did become a Goldern Egg at some point.

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