It is the end of another tedious week - and for that we are very grateful!
Inevitably, it's time for a party - and, indeed, we have one to attend tonight. However, it's a bit of a poignant one...
Way back in the mists of time, when Madam Arcati and I first arrived in London [26 years ago], our social orbit was limited, mainly revolving around West London where we lived at the time, and if we did go "into town", our pub of choice was the Admiral Duncan (before the bomb!). However, fates collided soon afterwards. One of the bar manager [the much-missed] Sinders' friends was a tall, striking, rather OTT blonde lady, who ran a pub in Soho. That was Sally. One of the Madam's colleagues while working at the Cafe Rouge restaurant chain who became a close friend had recently left the company to manage an outlet of another chain restaurant in Soho. That was Lou. And lo and behold, the two premises were opposite each other, and so a new social circle was created!
The pub was The Shaston Arms, scene of many a night of debauchery (of the late-night-drinking "lock-in" variety), many birthday parties and other celebrations - and of course, the "home turf" of our Pride Day breakfast meet-ups, to finalise our outfits and charge our system with bacon butties and bubbly before the madness of the day kicks off!
Just last November we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the pub's opening (and of Our Sal being its landlady), when the brewery Hall & Woodhouse even renamed it The Lady Shaston in her honour!
Come 2025, and Sal broke to us at the Eurovision party some very bad news indeed. The landowner of the Carnaby Street area in which The Shaston is located is Shaftesbury Estates. For some reason only known to the gnomes who run that operation, they have decided they want to change the whole area - and served notice on Hall & Woodhouse to vacate!! So The Lady Shaston is no more, and closes this month.
The party tonight is its farewell.
Will we laugh? Will we cry? We will certainly say...
...CHEERS! And thanks for all the memories!
Meanwhile...
...After all that sombre news, and bearing in mind today also happens to be one to avoid if you happen to be paraskevidekatriaphobic, here's something joyful to cheer us all up:
I doubt Pharrell and Daft Punk were even born when this film was made...
Thank Disco It's Friday [the Thirteenth]!
Have a great weekend!
I hate to hear that. Our clan has had the same thing happen...my beloved Raven after some 23 years...and some other numerous places. Progress.
ReplyDeleteAs you would say Bah, Humbug! And this news is certainly a humbug.
It certainly is - especially as this effectively makes Our Sal redundant (and homeless - her flat is "tied" to the job), so unless a miracle happens, it seems likely she's going to have to leave London and head back to her roots Up North 😭! Jx
DeleteThats even far worst news for your Sal!!!! The same thing happened when the Raven closed. The place dated back to the late 1950's, and there was still one drag queen and a bar tender working there. That was there chance to still get out. When I was back in New Hope a few weeks ago...the land STILL sits empty. But mind you the cursed developers just HAD to raze the place in a hurry.
DeleteRat Bastards.
Dreadful people, property developers and landowners - they pay no taxes on empty land, so there's no incentive to build anything until or unless there's a profit to be made. Jx
DeleteOh mistress; I would so have loved to visit the Raven !
DeleteSo many venues have gone over the years, it's difficult to conceive quite what we have lost... Jx
DeleteWell that sucks, but your gang is something else!
ReplyDeleteI'd like those stumble bums
DeleteTo see for a fact
The kind of top drawer
First rate chums I attract!
We were out in force tonight - and did Our Sal proud! Jx
Well, that's some sad news, but I'm sure you'll see The Lady Shaston off with a bang! (And I hope this doesn't mean an end to your gang's themed Pride outfits - and, more importantly, your FABULOUS jackets!)
ReplyDeleteP.S. "Get Lucky" almost made it onto my recent Tunes on Tuesday on Thursday list, but I'd only listened to it a couple of times before posting
We will keep up the "Pride themes" forever, of that I have no doubt - and even if Sal does end up going back to the North East, it's a mere couple of hours by train to London to join us, back where she belongs, centre stage! Jx
DeletePS I pre-empted your "Tunes on Tuesday" list! Yay! But would you have posted the "Roller Disco version", I wonder..?
I'm sorry to hear about The Lady. Spaces like that are more than just a place to hang out, they're anchors.
ReplyDeleteThe Shaston certainly was that for our "gang" - my sister brought along one of those scrolling electronic photo frames with a whole load of pics from over the decades, and it was amazing just how many significant events took place there, and how intrinsic it has been to our lives... Jx
DeleteThey want to change the whole area? Make shitloads of money from development, more like. I'm angry about that. And I feel for Sal who obviously put her heart and soul into the place.
ReplyDeleteI hope you find somewhere new, but I'm angry that you have to.
Sx
Everyone is at a loss why Shaftesbury Estates is doing this. They say they want a restaurant or gastropub on the site, but with so many other food outlets around Carnaby Street - and in the time The Shaston has been going, dozens have come and gone with alarming regularity - it is a mystery how they think that would generate any more money (or interest) in the area by doing that. Sigh. Jx
DeleteI’m gutted we’ll never be able to sit in our little corner ever again. But our gang will continue and more memories will be made. xx
ReplyDeleteI'm worse at what I do best
DeleteAnd for this gift I feel blessed
Our little group has always been
And always will until the end
RIP, "The Bonk-ette" (our corner).
RIP, "Pride Central".
All hail, our gang!
We just need to find a new "base of operations"...
Jx
Very sad but so many memories.
ReplyDeleteand it was one hell of a party !
We certainly took the invitation the "drink the place dry" very seriously indeed! Jx
Delete