General Chat

Hearing about the 'Disappearing London' programme WHICH WE CAN'T GET reminded me of great times at the Orchid in South Croydon during the late 60's. Had loads of really famous acts there incl Jimi Hendrix! Did anyone else frequent the place?

I knew it as the Orchid, Purley, but it was too far away for me to go there when I was young and living in the middle of London - or should I say, too far away to get home before the trains and buses stopped running late at night. CB >|<

I lived in Streatham Vale, and I do remember the Orchid, but can't recall if I ever went there lol

Shows my age calling it the Orchid BALLROOM !!!! Think it was called Cinderella Rockafella's or something like that later or was that the club over Streatham ice rink? That was the 'Cat's Whiskers' when we went. Went past the old Orchid the other week and it is now a fitness centre! Allie

Allie - I used to frequent the Cat's Whiskers at Streatham Hill regularly in my late teens lol And I was a regular at Silver Blades Ice Rink - but for the life of me can't remember what the club above it was called lol

The Cat's Whiskers was in streatham and Cinderellas was in Croydon...also Cinatra's or was it Sinatras was in croydon. I used to go in the early 80's

Donna I used to go to CInatra's around then too :O))

I was living in Brixton and working in Croydon around that time Anne, and thought that Cinatra's was very sophisticated........well., it was, wasn't it?

Hi Ann I was sure that it was the Cat's Whiskers over the Ice Rink. I seem to remember that you could watch the skating from there. Perhaps my memory is not as good as I thought : ( It's all a bit misty now!! Allie x

Donna - yeah lol And I thought I was the bees knees in my matching top and ra ra skirt and gold sandals pmsl Wish I could remember the name of the club above the ice rink ............. I think I remember a flamingo or palm tree above the door ?????

Ali. The Cats Whiskers was over the ice-rink, I'm certain.

Allie - definitely not, sorry!! I was a regular at both the Cats and the Ice Rink.......... I lived and grew up there for 24 years :O) Cats was up near Streatham Hill station - used to be the Locarno .............. near the bowling alley.

Anne - I defer to your local knowlege - though I just asked my hubby and he seemed to think it was over the rink as well! He worked in an architects office on the High St and my sister worked in Nat West bank there. We frequented 'The Rumbling Tum' cafe next to the station - happy days! The Orchid had the palm trees - definitely! allie

i can remember some good nights at cinatras-croydon,and also some GREAT nights at dr jims-croydon...and watertown-croydon. bryan.

Allie ............ Finally got the name of the club above the Ice Rink - was bugging me all night and my work colleague remembered it ..................... The Bali Hai :O)))

Hi Anne! Yes of course that was it!!!! While we are at it, did you ever go to the Ram Jam Club in Brixton? Saw the Yardbirds there, though I have a feeling that this may have been a bit before your time! Cheers Allie

Hi Allie I used to go to a club in Brixton next to the Town Hall called The Fridge.......early 80's

Went to the Orchid Ballroom in Purley when I was at the Guards Depot in late 55 - time flies. :-) Keith

Didn't the cats whiskers Streatham become Cinderallas? I used to go up there but would have been late 80's am sure it wasn't the cats whiskers, was next to bowling alley??? is the orchid south croydon different from the blue orchid which is opposite farifield halls??? Bryan Watertown is still goin strong LOL was there a while back for stripper night!!!!!!!

The Cats Whiskers became The Studio in 1984 then it became The Ritzy in 1990 and then Ceasars Night Club in '95