Below the Queens Hotel Hastings – Queens Cocktail Bar. Year?

photographer: unknown

Had many titles over the years, The Flying Machine, Bonitas, Lazy Bones, Emmas, JR’s etc. Any idea of the year of this photo?

Paul Huggett… Going by the cars most likely mid 1930s

Michele Crew… That’s a great photo and probably the best it ever looked

Alan Esdaile… The cover over the entrance, has always stayed the same.

Mick Knights… There was a Christian coffee bar called the sign of the fish.

Nick Bloomfield… worked there when it was Emmas Disco (1978) and the management in a fit of desperation asked me to come up with some names for different nights. I duly obliged with ‘Funky Friday’ and ‘Saturday Special’. Thus ended my career as a fledgeling promoter…

Ernest Ballard… I used to drink in there a lot as my then wife was the receptionist working shifts. Met many top musicians including Elvis Costello when he was recording with SIr Paul McCartney. We were told by his management unknown to him to ignore him as he didn’t want conversation at the bar or people constantly asking for autographs. After a few days of this and a few drinks he shouted “. Does no one know who I am ? “. We all said. “ no”. He got more angry as we ignored him. Looking back it was so funny.

Peter Thomson… Free chicken and chips late night in Bonita’s. Never asked my age from 15 on. Can’t think of any other reason to go there….

Roy Penfold… I’d put it as mid to late 1940s.

Leigh Kennedy… The ‘Queens Hotel American Cocktail Bar’ to give it it’s full name, opened in july 1937. It was renamed the ‘Elizabeth Bar’ in 1957.

Mick O’Dowd… I took over from Colin Bell at Bonitas as resident DJ.

Alan Pepper… Remember it well Mick ! Hey DJ can you play Sex Machine by J B ? Hit it  !!!

Mick O’Dowd… Sorry Alan Pepper!

Lance Collins… Worked there for a few months but hated it. Missed being on the road. It had a really strange management team !!!!!!

Alan Esdaile.. Did I read somewhere, that someone had applied to reopen it as a night club?

Chris Baker… When I worked in Debenhams, where the basement adjoined the Queens Hotel’s basement, both would flood when there was a very high tide!

Jackie Willett… I went to Bonitas when I was 14, with my big platform shoes on! 1972!

Terry Tollan… By the cars i would say before WW11.