Missing memories

[Daffy]

BEA !! Like you I never ever had a night in and went out every night too, because the whole place was alive and buzzing. I felt like I was on Holiday all the time.

But I remember sampling the high life of St Heliers night clubs and how cheap everything used to be (eg Half price nights on a wednesday at Inn on the Park - 4 cans of breaker for ONE POUND !!), The Deep, The Kon Tiki, The Skyline, Raffles, Lords. Does anybody go this far back ?? I even remember getting change cellotaped to my box of Du maurier cigarettes from the cigarette machines.

I came back to Jersey in August 2008 for a few days and could not believe the change in the place. It seems that all the B and B's and 'cheaper' hotels have disappeared and replaced with characterless appartment blocks. That summer 'vibe' seems to have disappeared and to be honest the place seems empty. I mean - Why are the beaches empty ?? The queues from St Brelades (the posers beach) back to St helier at evening peak time in the 1980's was normal. And where have all the tourist places gone - like The Bird Cage Bar (Yes really it was) and the Tartan Bar and other such places?

I still love Jersey and the place is very special to me although I left 20 + years ago but why has it changed so much? Even the guaranteed sunshine has gone (so the locals told me) and why are the prices so high ? Is it a ploy to keep the tourists OUT ??

However i will be back - but i may stay in St Aubins next time. It seems to have avoided all this change that has been going on around it ??

Does anybody on this forum want to share any 80's memories with me ?

[Daffy]

I'VE JUST HAD ANOTHER FLOOD OF MEMORIES !

Does anybody remember any of these things -

1) Time jewellers and many of the other diamond/gold shops
2) Gift shops and meandering down The Parade
3) Was it called the Stage Door and The Opera House (and the local celebrity of the time - Rachel - was that his name?)
4) Easenmyne Vans delivering everywhere
5) Mary Ann and their delivery wagons and dray men.
6) Not being able to get mainland papers because the aiprort had been 'fogged off' that morning
7) The airport for Sunday lunch
8) The Bistro Rocque (was it called that) amd the one in Cattle Street. Great food I thought in those days . .
9) Rent A Room (when desperate for somewhere to live)
10) Monday Clubs - possibly after a heavy Sunday night starting in the Mermaid Tavern
11) No dancing on a Sunday and all dance areas being blocked off.
12) The influx of British seasonal workers at the start of every season

[gagged]

Les Arche night club, L'Auberge Du Nord, chicken in a basket on a Sunday night because of the no dancing rule.

Ice cold bottles of flip top Grolche on a Friday night at Sands.
State express 555 cigarettes. The New Mediteranean on the 5 mile road. Memory lane singing at Swansons.

With you in the eghties Daffy.

[Bea]

Bird's bakery made great sausage rolls and pasties.Opened early and great to soak up the excesses of the large glasses(half pint) of Caprici wine sold for about 50p.
Spud packers, some great characters,many spent the winter down the Canaries,and turned up off the ferry at start of each season .
Swanson's ,West park,and Mermaid on sunday ,Esso pub
The thing I seem to recall was that people were happy and every day was eventful .
Town was buzzing, chambermaids getting a tan between their shifts .
Lots of happy memories

[Daffy]

Will always remember the holiday makers buzzing around The Weighbridge after breakfast each morning, queueing for buses to sightsee the island.
Was jealous of all the tanned seasonal workers with the split shifts, specially when they displayed their tans in those bright colourful clothes we wore in those days. Even when shopping on a Saturday afternoon . .
Anybody remember the ODV that the wine bar next to the Buvette used to serve? Got told it was the dregs of the gin and vodka that was brewed by the local brewery. And made into wine.
Please dont think I was an alcoholic, but recalling my past it seems I spent a lot of time in bars in those 'glory days'.
Sigh . . . . ;D

[gagged]

Believing the BBC were impartial.

[eastrock]

Oct 6, 2008 16:19:50 GMT gagged said:

Believing the BBC were impartial.

Great memory you have.

[Si]

Reading this thread makes me feel old!

For me, it's Fort Regent (and watching the cable cars while at school!) - used to be such an excellent place as a kid, now it's just... well... a bit rubbish really
Hopefully one day it'll be back to its 'former glory', but seeing it turned into more offices/flats would surprise me less..

^{Pic taken by me, and linked from my own hosting.. If even this is breaking rules too much I'll edit it out}

Oct 6, 2008 16:19:50 GMT gagged said:

Believing the BBC were impartial.

^^Made me ;D ;D

[Nobody]

That picture just makes me wonder all the more, what the hell where they thinking putting that pool there?

[Si]

Cheers, I did have other, better ones, from that night - but have since learnt the importance of keeping a regular backup, since my system went down and took a load of pictures with it

No problem re: the hotlinking either, cheers..

[davidrotherham]

One thing on Daffy's list still going strong: Easenmyne vans are still delivering everywhere - I drive one of them these days!

[linda]

Great memories reading through this thread:

Miss the Bal Tab were I got together with my hubby.

Playing crib with Gay Ray on a Wednesday after doing my horses at Multina Riding School St Ouen’s in the 1960’s (Of Stage door/ Opera House Rachel fame).

Taking out the holiday makers on rides from Multina and loving the views over Grabb’ee while doing so. God, I miss having a horse to ride out and love of my own.

Meeting friends in The Sidewalk opposite the West’s flea pit. Hanging out in to the fort 72 club occasionally.

I also Miss West Park Pavilion, Les Arches (those were the days when I stood in for a friend when she was ill doing go-go dancing, lol, and Sands, virtually no were left for the live bands now!

Such a shame that so much fun has been drained out of life in our island, so sad that we have lost so much and provide so little for the next generation to enjoy.

[gagged]

milk floats, are any still araound?

[bolshiecrapaud]

At home last week (currently live in the UK)

Was meeting friends in a pub near the Weighbridge. Wasn't drinking, therefore, was driving around town on Saturday night attempting to park on the street - avoiding the multi stories or the waterfront.

I've only been gone 4 years, and in that time, some bearded, tree hugging, muesli knitting, anti-car do-gooder has removed all the damn on street spaces from the middle of St Helier.

I'm a stubborn toad, so spent considerable time trying all my old parking haunts, to discover that every time I turned a corner expecting to find a space, I was faced with either an extended pavement where the spaces used to be, or another s0dding planter!

Upshot? I spent half an hour longer killing the planet with my car than I would have done. Good work hippies.

I know, I know, the planters do look nice (when not filled with the puke from some chav who's recently fallen out of the tigerfoliesportrader bar) but until there's a good bus service which goes goes where I want to go, when I want to go and taxi's which don't charge £47 a metre, I'll keep my car thanks. Even if it means I have to park by commercial buildings and run the gauntlet through the teenagers in Liberation Square.

Feel better now. Home is still home, it's beautiful and I will get the boat in the morning again soon. Just back the other way. Even if I'm forced to park my car on the pier at Gorey and walk.

[crappogre]

Welcome back dude, sorry we didn't put a welcome mat out for you

I agree 100% on the on-street parking, unfortunately these things are decided by a tiny anti-car minority which isn't very democratic - but that's Jersey for you. I'd like to see more fair and sensible management of all aspects of island life, but it's an uphill battle.

Have a nice stay!

[gagged]

Anybody know what has happened to the Krakow crapud blog?

[crappogre]

Did he say he was coming back to the island?

[davroslesueur]

The Jersey name for beer is Mary Ann. ;D

Once a memory, but now re-launched Mary Ann Special is back!There is also a limited edition beer for Durrell.

[censored]

I remember when no one locked their house doors and everyone knew their neighbours. People trusted each other and cared. No finance and a care free youth. Black and white TV. Yes things were great back then. No hassle, no crowded roads or beaches, no stress, no stupid bureaucracy need I go on?

[nickpalmer]

Oct 23, 2008 22:14:26 GMT bolshiecrapaud said:

I've only been gone 4 years, and in that time, some bearded, tree hugging, muesli knitting, anti-car do-gooder has removed all the damn on street spaces from the middle of St Helier.

Oddly enough Simon Crowcroft has got very little hair and is very clean shaven. What is it about "bolshy" people that makes them so offensive and unjustifiably cocksure?