More memories - Saxon Tavern anyone?

[jackieboo]

I used to go to the Saxon Tavern pub at the top of Southend Lane (think it's a supermarket now) Anyone have any memories of it?

[Jules]

Gosh ... I remember the Saxon .. during the 80's. They used to have disco's there.
I freind of mine set me up on a blind date once there. I never forgave her, his faced was covered in safety pins, he wore more make-up than I did and had the most awful green spiky hair.

Had lots of good evenings there though !!!

[sugahill cafe]

Saxon tavern was the mecca for the soul/jazz funk crowd in the early eighties,this was my first ever clubbing experience (more a kids disco)
vivid memories of giving it some on the dancefloor to Kool and the gangs/ Get down on it ,and everyone all doing the same dance to a track called Jingo by Candido...chris

[Falkor]

That's interesting... Does the supermarket use the same building? Or has it been rebuilt? Any old photos of this place?

[sugahill cafe]

Not 100% but i think the original building was demolished,a smaller building housing a betting office was built in the car park area about 1982,I think Lidls occupies the site where the Saxon Tavern was.chris..

[Jules]

The pub sat empty for ages. Then it was pulled down. Shame i would always smile as i went past. It played a big part in my youth !

[nork1]

I went there to see bands a couple of times in 85/86 - well before I even knew where Southend Lane was and a long time before I moved to Sydenham (I lived in South Norwood back then). I vaguely remember one band - The Bolshoi and I've got a horrible feeling I might've seen Doctor & The Medics there too. I have absolutely NO recollection of the place apart from leaving with my shirt ripped, covered in beer, drunk, but having had a good time.

[MartinH]

Flares, tank tops, platform soles, Ziggy Stardust, getting sloshed and walking home without any hassle, girls that were attractive and did'nt sound like Vicky Pollard! Do you remember the little raised areas in there? And then there was Spiders upstairs and round the back where bands used to play. I think I will go and play some Focus just to take me back to 1972

[jackieboo]

with arches in the front?. By the looks of it it was demolished. I wasn't 18 until 1975 so had to wait to go in there for my 18th - well you did in those days - when you made one drink last all evening. ahhhhhhhhh
Girls and women would have been ashamed to be seen sprawled half naked in the gutter from binge drinking like nowadays.

[jeoffrey.m@adsl.virgin.ne]

DO YOU REMEMBER THE SAXON TAVERN? FACE BOOK !!
WE ARE ON FACE BOOK ! YOU CAN FIND PEOPLE WHO WENT THERE AND DEL STEVENS THE DJ ON : DO YOU REMBER THE SAXON TAVERN : FACE BOOK

[rolyevans]

I remember the Saxon in the 50's when it was called the King Alfred.

[YeeHaa]

I used to go to the Saxon Tavern pub at the top of Southend Lane (think it's a supermarket now) Anyone have any memories of it?

they used to have Northern Soul/Mod nights there I used to go every Thursday I think

[Eagle]

Was never on my agenda as understood rubbish beer.

[CaptainCarCrash]

Was never on my agenda as understood rubbish beer.

Nothing worse than to be dying for a real ale only to find that you've adjourned yourself to a dive that only sells bears p!ss, aye Eagle?

[Eagle]

Quite right Mike. First essential for a Pub is well kept real ale.
The Pub of course could still be rubbish with real ale but certainly rubbish without.

[ForestHill]

Used to love going to the Saxon from age 16 onwards. It had lots of brick alcoves I remember. Then one night they had bouncers on the door and they wouldn't let us in because I looked under age - it was my 18th birthday as well!

[Cfinny1]

I lived in Bell Green and near Westwood Hill in the 50 -70 era and can remember ST used to be called The King Alfred. At that time it was l believe a Watney owned pub so 'real beer' wasn't even an option then. We used to go there on a Sunday night when there was music in the back hall. Once again from memory l never saw any disturbance or problem.

[KEVD]

The Saxon was left empty for a long while. It then caught fire one weekend. You could see the smoke for a few miles. The supermarket is a new building.

[bobchewie]

Yes I remember saxon tavern even when it was the king Alfred pub before it
Me and my mates would all be there including Dominic Rossi brother of Francis Rossi from status quo
Lots of us were there mick bud pat and penny the girls from prenderghast and lots more and my amazing 21st birthday in the freezing cold
But a great time.

[bobchewie]

Yeah late 60s early 70s ziggy stardust Emerson Lake and Palmer Rory Gallagher ( greyhound Croydon) david bowie when he lived in Beckenham hill with his missus and late 60s when he and mark bolan ran the arts lab at three tuns Beckenham high Street
The who played at lewisham odeon so did ELP and oval Kennington and spoke about these gigs for weeks
And the crazy parties in Bellingham and Beckenham.