London Street

A Memory of Reading.

I remember many many things As a child about London Street as for many years my father had a photographic business adjacent to the Olympia Ballroom (first property on the right hand side of the ballroom with the name Photo Enterprise). As a child I used to catch a bus from Shinfield council estate to London Street on a Saturday when dad did not have any weddings, and get taken into town for a treat. This used to include a visit to the cafe by Tuttys and then a walk to the toyshop in the Co-Op opposite the Odeon cinema to buy a dinky toy. Oh how I wish I had kept the boxes and toys!!! In later years I developed an interest in chemistry and used to go to a chemistry supply company a few doors up from my dad's place to buy bunsen burners, glass tubes, chemicals etc, the idea being to create big bangs and destructive explosions. A friend and I once blew a large hole in his mother's kitchen ceiling; amazing really I am still alive to tell the tale. At the top of the street were 2 pawn shops and they had the most amazing window displays I have ever seen, including prostetic body parts. Even now I wonder if anyone ever brought the glass eyes and wooden feet. My dad used to take me through to the kitchens at the back of the ballroom where two large jovial chefs worked and invariably I would come away with a freshly baked bun or pastry. Occasionally dad would get me to help out in the studio. My job used to be stopping the babies and little uns from bursting into tears when the flash powder went off with a flash and a bang.
Years later I frequented the Olympia to see the Who, The stones and many more of the Mod bands of the 60s and 70s - opposite the Olympia and down a bit was the notorious Mod cafe, The Honey Bear. If anyone can confirm this I will be very pleased. I seem to remember the Honey Bear was originally owned by the Countess Esterhazy who was related to Marianne Faithfull who was Mick Jagger's girlfriend at the time, but my research cannot confirm this. I do, however, remember the curbsides were lined with scooters every night of the week, mine included. It was without a doubt the place to be seen and mega chrome work was everywhere and parkas were de riguer, as were the birds in mini skirts and the shrimpton look, it was heaven on earth. Talking bout my generation!!!! A short walk down the street on the same side and you came to a throw back to medieval times, the doss house, it was on the corner of Mill Lane and London Street and notoriously stank, mainly of stale booze, and the window sills outside were usually covered in empty cider or mountain wine bottles from Butlers (another story from Reading). Despite this, I still think London Street was one of the most elegant sreets in Reading. At the top of the street was the Caribbean Club, also popular amongst the mods as you got Ska and Bluebeat from the sound systems inside - this was long before the white bands adopted it. All in all a damn fine Street with a massive mix of architecture and historical detail and an eclectic mix of varied cultural influences.