Soho Strip Clubs - Shirleys' World 1971

[Anthony McKay]

Anyone admit to knowing the adresses of the following clubs featured in the "The Berkeley Caper episode of SHIRLEY'S WORLD:



The Carnival Review



The (world famous) Red Mill Club



The Gigi Club



Blue City



The Dolls House



The Queens Club



The Moroco Club



Balco 170 ?? next door to The Carnival

[hhhhancock]

name='Anthony McKay']Anyone admit to knowing the adresses of the following clubs featured in the "The Berkeley Caper episode of SHIRLEY'S WORLD:



The Carnival Review



The (world famous) Red Mill Club



The Gigi Club



Blue City



The Dolls House



The Queens Club



The Moroco Club



Balco 170 ?? next door to The Carnival

I don't know where these clubs were, probably in Wardour Street, Soho or certainly the adjoining roads. When a bunch of us lads split up when our workplace closed we met up once a month in the West End of London (this would be 1969/1970) and after a few bevvies, well quite a lot actually, we visited a strip club in Soho, a different one each time.

All the girls did a circuit so you saw the same performers at each club. A pretty tatty experience really but when you're young and the hormones are raging....hey ho.

I'm sure I've visited some of the clubs you mention but the intervening years have fortunately wiped my memory of the names.

[Arfur Teacake]

Anthony

I think you have opened up a whole new can of worms for yourself

as Shirley's World had some really lovely locations (including in the UK)

for you to spot.

[seeall]

Found reference to explosion at Gigi Club, 62 Frith Street, W1 on 6 November 1966 in Metropolitan Police files.

[marker]

I certainly went in a good few but cant remember there names the only one I do remember was the Raymond Revuebar

[ShirlGirl]

name='marker']I certainly went in a good few but cant remember there names the only one I do remember was the Raymond Revuebar

Oooooooo I remember that one!

[Anthony McKay]

This is not the footage I'm researching, but it does contain some of the clubs I'm trying to place:



Strip Club Signs Marquees Footage - WPA Film Library

[Anthony McKay]

Paul Stroud has spotted The (world famous) Red Mill Club in Macclesfield Street with the help of Randall and Hopkirk: Would You Recognise the Man Again?

[Amethyst_Isle]

Here is very entertaining read and still goes on to this very day.



[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clip_joint]Clip joint - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]







A number of clip joints (or "near beer bars") still operate in London's Soho area, alongside legitimate strip bars.



A typical scenario involves a young adult male (typically a tourist) being approached by a beautiful woman (typically either a local or claiming to be) who recommends a "favourite local" bar or club. The man is usually seated at a table and joined by a "hostess," who may or may not order drinks. Whether or not any "services" are performed or drinks are ordered has little bearing on the outlandish bill received at the end of the night. Bills are commonly hundreds of pounds, listing things like a "hostess fee" or "service charge." The arrival of the bill typically corresponds with the arrival of a few large bouncers to ensure payment.



This scam is in a legal grey area if extortion is not explicitly involved, since there is no law against charging high prices and the customer is primarily responsible for determining the prices of services to be rendered before accepting them.



Often, a clip joint employee will wait near a legitimate club, and invite passing pedestrians into a "VIP" area. The potential customers are meant to believe that the person works for the nearby club, though they may not explicitly say so. Once inside, drinks are usually alcohol free (as they usually don't have a licence) or watered down and overpriced with no prices listed on the menu, and (as is typical) unrequested companion(s) may also arrive at the table.



Since 2007, the London Local Authorities Act reclassified clip joints as sex establishments, meaning that they required relevant licences, closing a loophole where these businesses did not need a licence to operate because they did not serve food or alcohol or provide entertainment.



As recently as 2009, 2 people were jailed for 36 and 14 months respectively after threatening an undercover police officer.

[Arfur Teacake]

name='ShirlGirl']Oooooooo I remember that one!

your a tease Shirlgirl, a naughty -shirl-girl.

[Wee Sonny MacGregor]

The Carnival Review Club - 12 Old Compton St, W1



The (world famous) Red Mill Club - 12 Macclesfield St W1



The Gigi Club - 62 Frith St W1



Blue City Revue Club - 30 Peter St, W1



The Dolls House Club - 4 Carlisle St W1



The Queens Club - 37 Berwick St W1, and at 5 Walkers Court W1



The Morocco Club - 40 Frith St W1



Balco 170 ?? next door to The Carnival - no trace.



That's enough of that, must get out of this mac. Fake champagne, 30 bob a glass. Phew!

[Anthony McKay]

I hate to ask, but Jeff Randall was seen entering the Hawaii Striptease Club.



Any ideas where this was?

[Wee Sonny MacGregor]

name='Anthony McKay' date='21 May 2010 - 11:25 PM' timestamp='1274480732' post='430135']

I hate to ask, but Jeff Randall was seen entering the Hawaii Striptease Club.





Any ideas where this was?

Sorry, Anthony, no club of that name listed in 1970 or 1971



WSM

[hazel64]

yes, i know all of the strip clubs you have mentioned as i used to work in them all myself as a striptease dancer from 1969-1979. I was filmed for a documentary about london wardour street in 1970 called....The Celluloid Village of Dreams and i was filmed on stage at a strip club called The Playboy striptease club which was on wardour Street.I was on the circuit for quite a few years and loved every minute of it. i am now retired but have many great memories of my time in soho and recently i visited soho, the first time in 42. years and everything has changed so much. THE DOLLS HOUSE that was on Carlisle Street is now The Kandy Club and i had my photo taken there. The atmosphere now in soho is not as great as it was in the 70's.

[cassidy]

A gang of us used to go the The Carnival in the early 60's and I used to come out with bruises on my arms which came about from us nudging each other during the performance.

[narabdela]

yes, i know all of the strip clubs you have mentioned as i used to work in them all myself as a striptease dancer from 1969-1979. I was filmed for a documentary about london wardour street in 1970 called....The Celluloid Village of Dreams and i was filmed on stage at a strip club called The Playboy striptease club which was on wardour Street.I was on the circuit for quite a few years and loved every minute of it. i am now retired but have many great memories of my time in soho and recently i visited soho, the first time in 42. years and everything has changed so much. THE DOLLS HOUSE that was on Carlisle Street is now The Kandy Club and i had my photo taken there. The atmosphere now in soho is not as great as it was in the 70's.

Nice post Hazel. Welcome to the forum.

[hazel64]

thanks for replying. those were the best days i had when i was younger. i have been given a book called....NAKED JUNGLE...by Murray Goldstein..he owned about 5 clubs then in soho and i worked for him in 69/70 at MAXIMS club on Frith Street. the book tells it how it is and i remember murray as being a nice bloke to work for. meories memories...it was all wonderful...hazel

[narabdela]

i worked for him in 69/70 at MAXIMS club on Frith Street.

Oops, I may well have seen more of you than...err...

[hazel64]

you may have seen a lot more of me than you can remember. im not ashamed of my jobs in those clubs. it was a brilliant way of life and a great atmosphere and i really did love my job so no worries. i am finding it hard at the moment to see if i can obtain any pictures at all of the clubs and maybe some of the dancers back then from 69/through the 70's. I already have a dvd copy of the documentary programme that was screened in 1970 called THE CELLULOID VILLAGE OF DREAMS, about wardour street and its people. i was the girl they filmed on stage at the playboy striptease club on the street itself. ITV kindly sent me that dvd and it is great to catch a glimpse of me on stage at 21.years of age.i have collected many memories but i am struggling with trying to find any photo's from back then, have you any ideas maybe?.....regards....hazel

[cassidy]

Have you tried the first series of "The Rock'n'Roll years, I think there is something on strip clubs in there.

you may have seen a lot more of me than you can remember. im not ashamed of my jobs in those clubs. it was a brilliant way of life and a great atmosphere and i really did love my job so no worries. i am finding it hard at the moment to see if i can obtain any pictures at all of the clubs and maybe some of the dancers back then from 69/through the 70's. I already have a dvd copy of the documentary programme that was screened in 1970 called THE CELLULOID VILLAGE OF DREAMS, about wardour street and its people. i was the girl they filmed on stage at the playboy striptease club on the street itself. ITV kindly sent me that dvd and it is great to catch a glimpse of me on stage at 21.years of age.i have collected many memories but i am struggling with trying to find any photo's from back then, have you any ideas maybe?.....regards....hazel