Off King Street South, Ridgefield is now home to the South nightclub, famed for its 'Boon Army' Saturday nights (DJ Clint Boon was front man of 'Madchester' band, the Inspiral Carpets from Oldham). In the 1980s it was known as Bernard's Bar, later the Stuffed Olive, one of the first gay bars in town.
Morrissey recalls "Bernard's Bar, now Stuffed Olives - if one wanted peace and to sit without being called a parade of names that was the only hope [1]." For a brief period in the late '80s it was Precinct 13, an attempt to become a straight bar which wasn't a success, and n the '90s it was known as Bar Kay.
I frequented Stuffed Olives & worked here from 88 till 93 as barman then Bar Manager when it changed to Precinct 13. It wasn't so much a failure, but had problems with the troubles that M/C nightclubs had at the time, drugs & gangs. Experienced some great nights... but then some with violence ...nightclubs for you, not been in one since I left in 93. 5 night a week for 5 yrs...enough
ReplyDeleteI use to look after the aquarium when it was Stuffed Olives
ReplyDeleteI worked behind the bar at stuffed olives in 83, with Clive & Peter and then at Heroes next door until 85
ReplyDeleteVery special times in Manchester
Was Bernards Bar also called Simms before that? I worked there in the late 70s alongside Billy, Dennis the DJ, Arbie the glass collector. I gather Bernard died in 2015.
ReplyDeleteI remember going to Bernard's Bar with my girlfriend and another couple. I think this was in the early 80s, it was a long time ago. I remember the disc jockey put a record on, said it was for the black guy who was dancing, he described him as the original black hole. I didn't realise it was a gay place but I guess it should have been obvious.
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