THE 2 i's COFFEE BAR -  LOCAL GROUP -ALAN KNIGHT AND THE CHESSMEN

The  2i's Coffee Bar Old Compton Street, Soho, London

was a coffee house that was opened in 1956  and finally closed in 1970. 

It played a  part in the emergence of Britain's skiffle and rock and roll music culture in the late 1950s. Several major stars including Tommy Steele and Cliff Richard  were first discovered there and our local group Alan Knight and the Chessmen also played there one Sunday in the summer of 1963.

Alan Knight, aka Alan Lodge vocals, sixteen-year-old Ken Hickey drums, Roger Davis lead guitar, Harry Unsworth bass guitar, and John Whalley rhythm guitar. All were now on a trip of a lifetime playing at the 2is Coffee bar that could lead them to be stars. It was Roger who through an agent had made the booking for them to appear that Sunday evening in a warm summer, after the coldest winter for many years.

On the Sunday they started off in the borrowed  Bedford van with Roger, Alan, and John picking Ken up in Manningham at  9 am, then over to Undercliffe to pick the last, Harry Unsworth, who was still in bed, he had completely forgotten! It was after 11 o'clock when they all set off again to Wakefield, and after a few wrong directions were on the M1. They had a few stops for a quick call of nature, and cups of tea, arriving on the outskirts of London around 5 o'clock. No hotel for an overnight stopover, as this was a round 24-hour trip, they parked close to a park to all change into their smart matching suits white shirts, and collard neckties.

At 6:30 they were now outside and were expected, however no sign of the agent. Seemingly, a normal practice, although an envelope was left for them with money, plus petrol money, which they would receive at the end of their sessions. They took all the instruments in, and had a few sandwiches, then set up the drums. Inside it was really quite small inside and in the cellar a much larger space with a long wooden floor for dancing and a few chairs and benches, plus all soft drinks and coffee. It was mentioned that it was like The Olympus coffee bar in Bradford, 'well if Cliff Richard could.?

However, they all thought that the acoustics were good, as they tuned up. Two fifty minutes spots were given from 8: 00 pm until 8:50 pm, and 9:30 pm to finish at 10: 20 pm. 

For their first session, all seemed to go well with much dancing and sporadic applause, however on the second session their jackets, ties, and sleeves were up, as it was really too hot, but again it went down well.

At 10:20 pm they played their last number, finishing with general applause from the few remaining people in the cellar. It was then a quick pack up of the instruments, as jackets, and ties were pushed into a bag having served their purpose. 

The van was retrieved from a side street and all was packed in. In the meantime the envelope from the absent agent was handed over, the group has finished the contract, and in the envelope were a few pound notes, which included petrol money. As they set off it was now dark, and Kenny Lynch who had been there gave them a wave as he drove past in a red sports car.

With not much traffic on the motorway, five very tired lads arrived in Bradford at 

4: 30am, and to be dropped off at their homes, and with no respite as all had a job to go to on that Monday morning. Oh to be a pop star.

There was no follow-up to that night spent at the 2'is Coffee bar in Soho. However, it was still an accolade for the group to be added to their  Pop CV, and most of all, they had the photos taken there with Ken Hickey's Box Brownie camera and flash to record the momentous moment.

see pages 91-95  'When Bradford Rocked ' for other stories of the group.

Thanks to Ken  Hickey for sharing the above from 60 years ago.