Coventry was no Ghost Town late 70s early 80s.If you were around for the days of SKA you would appreciate them more.
England was a dangerous place them days especially if you're black. Totally open racism. Bernard Manning 'top' comedian. Open racism was the norm. We were coming back from the days of interest rates of 15%. All out strikes everywhere.
The lyrics said everything. Concrete Jungle and Ghost Town were about Coventry and gave a snap shot of the time. They were days of high unemployment and no hope for the younger generation. Friday Night, Saturday Morning was about the Locarno in the city centre. It was the place to go but constant trouble, frequently racially motivated.
SKA was the first time black and white people had a music genre enjoyed by both although the reggae purists called it 'white trash'. It introduced a lot of white people to the beat of reggae. It brought a lot of people together.
So you don't like the music by The Specials and similar? Not a surprise as the majority won't be in agreement of your choices. It doesn't make your choices rubbish. The untimely death of Terry Hall showed how popular and how much it meant to so many people.
Rudi Voller also - spitting on our players when they underperformJack Rudoni
Ruud Van Nistelrooy
Just need Ruud Gullit for assistant then it Rudi, Rudi Rudi
I think it should be Jack Van Ruudonrooy.Rudi Voller also - spitting on our players when they underperform
Edit - ah we need Rijkaard for that….
No jobs. No money. Places packed at weekend but otherwise no.Coventry was no Ghost Town late 70s early 80s.
It just wasn't. Pubs & clubs in abundance. I was there Friday Saturday Sunday for years.
Never saw trouble. Maybe I chose the right venues.
Coventry in entertainment terms (pubs clubs) is much more of a Ghost Town NOW
Could spend a long time listing the pubs & clubs we have lost inside the ring road.
Plenty of jobs. Although yes off the peak of the boom 60s & 70.No jobs. No money. Places packed at weekend but otherwise no.
Coventry - the Locarno and Tiffany's
Coventry night life in the 1970s was dominated by a night club called the Locarno later renamed Tiffany's as Tony McMahon discoversthe70s80s90s.com
Go to the end. You will even see the trouble Errol Christie got into there and outside the ring you couldn't wish to meet a nicer person.
A lot changed very quickly from then to the early 80s.Plenty of jobs. Although yes off the peak of the boom 60s & 70.
I was offered 5 apprenticeships in 1978.
Masseys Dunlop Alfred Herbert Jaguar included.
Trouble I witnessed was football related.
Going to watch the City home & away you needed to be aware.
Plenty of jobs. Although yes off the peak of the boom 60s & 70.
I was offered 5 apprenticeships in 1978.
Masseys Dunlop Alfred Herbert Jaguar included.
Trouble I witnessed was football related.
Going to watch the City home & away you needed to be aware.
More pubs, more clubs more factories & as you rightly say "packed at the weekend".A lot changed very quickly from then to the early 80s.
Rude boys are back in townJack Rudoni
Ruud Van Nistelrooy
Just need Ruud Gullit for assistant then it Rudi, Rudi Rudi
Let's just agree to disagree. I came into the jobs market as the factories were closing or getting rid of staff. People having a good drink before going out. Constant trouble at night. And it happened throughout the UK.More pubs, more clubs more factories & as you rightly say "packed at the weekend".
Not really a Ghost Town.
Er, no it doesn’t. Nor does it make it an Isley Bros song?!Twist and Shout was also a cover by the Beatles, so does that not make it their song?
I hear ya Robins. You were there. Your experience & my experience.Let's just agree to disagree. I came into the jobs market as the factories were closing or getting rid of staff. People having a good drink before going out. Constant trouble at night. And it happened throughout the UK.
Bert Berns wrote it I think.Er, no it doesn’t. Nor does it make it an Isley Bros song?!
Agree with all except Coventry being a Ghost Town at night being the point. Less people were about because of the lack of money. This was during the day. A few thousand having a night out at the weekend in Coventry isn't a lot considering it would have been from the whole of Coventry and surrounding areas.I didn't really venture into town much until 1983, but in terms of nightlife Cov wasn't a 'Ghost Town', as other posters have said all the pubs and clubs in town were packed. It was very dangerous though and there were lots of fights. There were also diminishing job opportunities and increasing unemployment, where Cov was particularly badly hit by the closure of many big employers connected to the manufacturing industry, which was pretty much destroyed at that time.
Agree with all except Coventry being a Ghost Town at night being the point. Less people were about because of the lack of money. This was during the day. A few thousand having a night out at the weekend in Coventry isn't a lot considering it would have been from the whole of Coventry and surrounding areas.
Double whammy. Older people don't feel safe and the cost of living crisis looks like turning into a recession.Yes, but go into the city centre now on a weekend evening, and it is much more like a 'Ghost Town' than in 1983!
Exactly !!Yes, but go into the city centre now on a weekend evening, and it is much more like a 'Ghost Town' than in 1983!
How about quoting his previous post?Exactly !!
Sorry. Didn't scroll. I'm in one of the few pubs left open !!How about quoting his previous post?
Totally disagreed with everything you said previouslySorry. Didn't scroll. I'm in one of the few pubs left open !!
I always thought the band said it was about Liverpool and other northern (port) cities. Not sure where I am getting that from though.Ok lads
a) Ghost Town isn't just about Coventry, it references the city but Dammers himself says it is about urban decay, deindustrialisation, unemployment they would see on tour in lots of places mixedin with the decay that was happening inside the band.
b) It came out in June 1981 so it isn't about the 70s, it's about urban places post Thatcher.
He mentions Liverpool in The Specials and the story of the UK's most remarkable chart-topperI always thought the band said it was about Liverpool and other northern (port) cities. Not sure where I am getting that from though.
Also some peoples idea of what Cov city centre is like has no resemblance to the reality
Most of the people who go out in town now are older, apart from the Sky Dome there's not many places for young people and any loads of young people don't drink. Also if the do decide to go out to somewhere like the Kasbah they just head straight there.
There's also in the nearish future going to be loads more bars etc as per the Coventry South plan but these are likely to be cafe/bar places that will appeal to older people as well.
Sorry. Didn't scroll. I'm in one of the few pubs left open !!
Read it now. Ref the aggro. I'm sorry I just didn't witness it. We were Covkids felt really comfortable "down town".Totally disagreed with everything you said previously
They were Great DaysTo be fair in general peoples social habits have changed significantly in the last 40 years. People just don't go to pubs in the same way they used to. Local pubs would be busy too even in midweek back in the 80's, but apart from the odd Wetherspoons, that just isn't the case anymore.
Interesting you mention places being geared to older people now, as back then apart from the pubs and clubs in the town, there were also many pubs out of the centre that were packed with young people (Holyhead/ Port of Call/ Styvechale/ Rose & Crown/ Pippin). Other than crisps, nuts or the late night seafood vendor there was no food on offer. Nowadays pretty much every pub is centred around selling food as much as drink
Very LuckyRead it now. Ref the aggro. I'm sorry I just didn't witness it. We were Covkids felt really comfortable "down town".
They were Great Days
Lucky to be born in the 60s , special times.
Here it is. You like to try and cause an argument over nothing I see. As you can see LSB said the opposite to you yet you still try and say differently.I didn't really venture into town much until 1983, but in terms of nightlife Cov wasn't a 'Ghost Town', as other posters have said all the pubs and clubs in town were packed. It was very dangerous though and there were lots of fights. There were also diminishing job opportunities and increasing unemployment, where Cov was particularly badly hit by the closure of many big employers connected to the manufacturing industry, which was pretty much destroyed at that time.
If we end up with Frank Lampard will we play Lip up Fatty then?‘A message to you Rudy’ being belted out before kick off.
25k + jamming to this is giving me serious vibes
No I really don't care to argue. Sorry I don't agree with your recollection of the late 70s early 80s.Here it is. You like to try and cause an argument over nothing I see. As you can see LSB said the opposite to you yet you still try and say differently.
If we end up with Frank Lampard will we play Lip up Fatty then?
Maybe. That or ABBA's Frank You For The Music.If we end up with Frank Lampard will we play Lip up Fatty then?
Worthwhile mentioning that the Coventry/Bedworth urban population is currently 449k ... it's been more than 400k for a few years.People suggesting Coventry was flourishing in the 80’s are not in touch with all of the facts. In reality, the city should have performed worse than it did and certainly didn’t suffer the same population haemorrhage that Liverpool for e.g. experienced following industrial and political turmoil during that decade. However, 60,000 jobs were lost in Coventry between 1979 and 1989, and the population which peaked at 336,000 in the mid 70’s had declined to barely 300,000 between 1981 and 1991; the numbers are in recovery now, around 350,000, but the city centre will likely never seem as alive at weekends as it did then. There are all sorts of reasons for this; transport, both public and private hire are far move accessible to and from other places at unsociable hours (Birmingham & Leamington for e.g.). The demographic diversity also impacts night time activity. Certainly, when I was growing up, Coventry had a wealth of kids who came from families who enjoyed partying and drinking and that reflected in how busy ‘town‘ was at the weekend. The current social and religious assortment in Coventry means there are probably far less partygoers than there once were. Make no mistake though, the city centre was always dead from Monday through to Thursday, it’s due to a lack of population within the centre itself.
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