Tottenham (the area)

[Mrs Perryman]

Back in the day when I was growing up there, Tottenham was a great place. We had The Bull which was the best pub bar none. Always packed and never any trouble. We had the Ritz nightclub, Sam Fox even had a bar in Tottenham. We used to buy our shirts from Davies menswear in Bruce Grove.
But sadly like most Labour controlled places, it’s gone the other way.

Click to shrink...

The Bull was where my sister and I celebrated the 81 Cup Final, we sang ourselves hoarse, then came out onto the High Road to see the open top bus parade. The song that brings it all back is "every thing she does" by The Police, as we all sang Yiddos at the bit when Sting sings eeoo, well I think that's what he's saying. Anyway, we watched from the top of a telephone kiosk by the bus stop opposite the Bull, so we were nearly eye level with the players. What happy memories that brings back, thank you

 

[Tottenham Sean]

Finefare - where Asda is now.

Next door to the Ship was Gordon Smith - where you could get uniforms for the local secondary schools.

Click to shrink...

Do you remember Milano shoes?
It was still there,last time i looked and is now a tatty shoe shop.
But for a short time in the late 80s,after the casual era it was popular with mates of mine for the shoes they sold.
I was more interested in the Army surplus place over the road that sold decent vintage button downs.

 

[Tottenham Sean]

I also remember Davies being quite a go to place in 82/83.
I worked with the son(John) for a while in 92(the Davies's had sold up by this time)
He use to recount how he thought his life was all planned out ,then his Dad sold the business.

 

[Pete27]

Do you remember Milano shoes?
It was still there,last time i looked and is now a tatty shoe shop.
But for a short time in the late 80s,after the casual era it was popular with mates of mine for the shoes they sold.
I was more interested in the Army surplus place over the road that sold decent vintage button downs.

Click to shrink...

Yup - certainly do. If I remember correctly, the Army place used to be next door to where Aldi is now.
Can't forget the 5,6,7,8 studios in Bruce Grove itself.
Studio 8 was always for the more discerning customer...

 

[kingdawson]

areas still dodgy as fuck. Gangs galore and the worst thing is they don't even get along with eachother as well as the neighbouring areas.

Northumberland Park area still a shit hole, Broadwater Farm still a shit hole, N15 still a shithole. The high Street Is somewhat decent I guess.

 

[neilseventytwo]

Finefare - where Asda is now.

Next door to the Ship was Gordon Smith - where you could get uniforms for the local secondary schools.

Click to shrink...

Yes, i remember it well, but by the time i went to secondary school they had ditched the uniform!!

 

[neilseventytwo]

Yup - certainly do. If I remember correctly, the Army place used to be next door to where Aldi is now.
Can't forget the 5,6,7,8 studios in Bruce Grove itself.
Studio 8 was always for the more discerning customer...

Click to shrink...

What about The Shady Grove.....you could get a mini cab and all sorts of 'other' things in there.....

 

[Pete27]

What about The Shady Grove.....you could get a mini cab and all sorts of 'other' things in there.....

Click to shrink...

Was there until fairly recently.
At the top of Bruce Grove by the roundabout was The Shunting Yard - great little shop was that.

 

[neilseventytwo]

Was there until fairly recently.
At the top of Bruce Grove by the roundabout was The Shunting Yard - great little shop was that.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, the place opposite was an indoor cricket venue for a bit opened by Ian Botham, a couple of my relatives worked in the old loos next door, and as well as The Shunting Yard there is Totland, a bit of an odd shop and i was amazed its still there after all these years......!!

 

[Pete27]

Yeah, the place opposite was an indoor cricket venue for a bit opened by Ian Botham, a couple of my relatives worked in the old loos next door, and as well as The Shunting Yard there is Totland, a bit of an odd shop and i was amazed its still there after all these years......!!

Click to shrink...

Totland must have been there for at least 60 years now. Remarkable really.
Well remembered for the cricket venue.
Did you ever venture over to the rec back in the day?
Funfairs, fireworks, donkey derbies. The bike area.
Tragic about the lido....

 

[Tottenham Sean]

What about The Shady Grove.....you could get a mini cab and all sorts of 'other' things in there.....

Click to shrink...

The fella that run the Shady Grove's son was one of ours.
Good lad as well.

 

[neilseventytwo]

Totland must have been there for at least 60 years now. Remarkable really.
Well remembered for the cricket venue.
Did you ever venture over to the rec back in the day?
Funfairs, fireworks, donkey derbies. The bike area.
Tragic about the lido....

Click to shrink...

It is quite remarkable how long it has survived, i was in the area recently and noticed that the hardware shop near the Spurs ground has gone now.

Yep, we lived on the Tower Gardens Estate until the long hot summer and then moved over near Mount Pleasant Road so lots of happy summers in the rec, the bike area, the cascade, the boating lake, jumping the Moselle.....

Yep, the Lido was great, but that's progress for you i suppose......

 

[N5 Spur]

Back in the day when I was growing up there, Tottenham was a great place. We had The Bull which was the best pub bar none. Always packed and never any trouble. We had the Ritz nightclub, Sam Fox even had a bar in Tottenham. We used to buy our shirts from Davies menswear in Bruce Grove.
But sadly like most Labour controlled places, it’s gone the other way.

Click to shrink...

Wasn't the Ritz(y) previously known as the Tottenham Royalty? I seemed to remember a couple of name changes. Plus Elton's too on Chestnut Road, which demanded a bit more 'effort' than the Ritzy/Royalty as it was seen to be a bit more 'cool'. The Ritzy/Royalty was a great place for an 18/19 y/o in the very early 80s to learn about and further explore the phenomena that was 'the older woman'.

 

[Tottenham Sean]

Wasn't the Ritz(y) previously known as the Tottenham Royalty? I seemed to remember a couple of name changes. Plus Elton's too on Chestnut Road, which demanded a bit more 'effort' than the Ritzy/Royalty as it was seen to be a bit more 'cool'. The Ritzy/Royalty was a great place for an 18/19 y/o in the very early 80s to learn about and further explore the phenomena that was 'the older woman'.

Click to shrink...

It was the Tottenham Royal.
My parents went there in the 50s,it was a teddy boy hang out then.later it was Mod,and later still a skinhead hang out.
Was a main venue of British youth culture for years.
I never went there,as it wasnt my thing.Regret it now.

 

[Pete27]

It is quite remarkable how long it has survived, i was in the area recently and noticed that the hardware shop near the Spurs ground has gone now.

Yep, we lived on the Tower Gardens Estate until the long hot summer and then moved over near Mount Pleasant Road so lots of happy summers in the rec, the bike area, the cascade, the boating lake, jumping the Moselle.....

Yep, the Lido was great, but that's progress for you i suppose......

Click to shrink...

Which road on the estate?

 

[N5 Spur]

It was the Tottenham Royal.
My parents went there in the 50s,it was a teddy boy hang out then.later it was Mod,and later still a skinhead hang out.
Was a main venue of British youth culture for years.
I never went there,as it wasnt my thing.Regret it now.

Click to shrink...

Thanks for clarifying.

It wasn't fancy but it was good fun, whereas Elton's was less fun but a bit more fancy (by standards of the time), imo. The Bull was my usual starting point - I loved the place - it was a proper night-out pub but still completely Tottenham. My favourite pub in the vicinity.

 

[Tottenham Sean]

We w

It is quite remarkable how long it has survived, i was in the area recently and noticed that the hardware shop near the Spurs ground has gone now.

Yep, we lived on the Tower Gardens Estate until the long hot summer and then moved over near Mount Pleasant Road so lots of happy summers in the rec, the bike area, the cascade, the boating lake, jumping the Moselle.....

Yep, the Lido was great, but that's progress for you i suppose......

Click to shrink...

We were talking about the rec and jumping the Moselle Monday night,funny enough.
My mate Pat was brought up on the Farm(Hornchurch block) and spent much of his youth over the rec.
Was saying that the various places they jumped the Moselle were given names,the biggest being "the king".

 

[Tottenham Sean]

Thanks for clarifying.

It wasn't fancy but it was good fun, whereas Elton's was less fun but a bit more fancy (by standards of the time), imo. The Bull was my usual starting point - I loved the place - it was a proper night-out pub but still completely Tottenham. My favourite pub in the vicinity.

Click to shrink...

Elton's was originally a pub caled the Eagle,and was popular in its day(loads of blokes older than me had stag nights there)
When they re-opened as Eltons they had ,had a complete refurb with an Elton john theme ,the bar was like a piano.They asked him to open it.He flatly refused as they hadn't asked his permission.
Later on it became Websters ,i think.

 

[N5 Spur]

Elton's was originally a pub caled the Eagle,and was popular in its day(loads of blokes older than me had stag nights there)
When they re-opened as Eltons they had ,had a complete refurb with an Elton john theme ,the bar was like a piano.They asked him to open it.He flatly refused as they hadn't asked his permission.
Later on it became Websters ,i think.

Click to shrink...

Yes, I kind of remember the name change to Webster's but had moved on geographically then. I don't remember pre-Elton's though, a bit before my time. Always used to make me laugh that was invariably always some some of kick-off at (appropriately) kicking-out time at both nightclubs when there was the cop shop 50 yards from both places.

 

[Biff]

Round about 2012 Enfield Borough had the worst gang problem because the gangs were small and trying to gain dominance. Groups like ESS (Enfield Sickest Soldiers) etc were 5-6 strong in maybe two/three streets. Eventually they all settled into two main gangs DA and GMG. They seemed to keep their issues between themselves and didn’t get involved in Haringey gangs like the NPK. The most dangerous gang in Enfield/Edmonton/Tottenham was the one least mentioned - the Turkish mafia. The Bill had very little handle on them and they were genuinely scary types.
(I had a mate involved in Met Gang units)

Click to shrink...

Couldn't tell you who was involved but I lived on Palmers Road for a year or two. Walking up to Arnos Grove once, middle of the afternoon and two high spec BMW's Mercs blocking the road facing each other. Each car backed up by a mob of twitching gangs. Kept myself as discreetly as possible to the pavement and shuffled past. Was like something from a box set.