Lid to be lifted on lost golden era for pubs, music and takeaways in Coventry

[dutchman]

Ruth Cherrington has written Dirty Stop Out’s Guide to 1970s Coventry as a guide to that momentous decade in the city's musical history as 2-Tone was born



There was arguably no decade more important than the seventies for Coventry ’s music scene - or for people in the city who wanted a good night out. It was the period that saw the birth of 2-Tone - a welcome distraction from the city’s collapsing car industry of the time.

Now a new book is lifting the lid on the decade that launched the Specials and the Selecter. Ruth Cherrington’s Dirty Stop Out’s Guide to 1970s Coventry uses the voices and memories of scores of Coventry people that were in the thick of the action to re-create the decade that launched 2-Tone across the world.

The Coventry-born author said: “Coventry’s Locarno Ballroom led the way in terms of after-dark entertainment at the start of the 1970s – it already had a decade of entertaining the city’s party-charged hordes under its belt. But it wasn’t long before it found itself with competition in the shape of Mr George’s and the City Centre Club, later Tamango’s.

Prior to the birth of 2-Tone the city, like much of the country, was gripped by the influence of Saturday Night Fever, with pubs eager to cash in on the disco craze - the Bear Inn, Golden Cross, Cottage, Climax and Walsgrave just a few of the venues giving punters the chance to strut their stuff. The grand old Coventry Theatre had bands offering something for everyone.

Local colleges joined in the fun, with the legendary Lanch and Warwick Uni providing music festivals that didn’t end in mud and tears. And when the pubs and clubs called time for the evening there was still time for a take-away in the legendary Parson’s Nose where even ska stars the Specials could be found tucking into a 'special’ of a different kind.

Ruth Cherrington has interviewed scores of musicians, DJs, punters, venues owners and more to unveil what publisher Neil Anderson said is “arguably the most comprehensive look at the 1970s we’ve ever produced”. The book is crammed full of ultra-rare photographs, memorabilia, memories and more, the publishers say.

The Dirty Stop Out’s Guide to 1970s Coventry costs £21.95 and is available from https://dirtystopouts.com/products/copy ... -pre-order and all good book shops.

[rebbonk]

There are quite a lot of anecdotes from me in the book.

Good job my parents are no longer here!