Pub: The Bell, Kings Cross, London
Guest blogger Rob Pateman remembers a legendary 80s London pub.
Exterior of The Bell in London’s Kings Cross. Owner of photo not known.
The Bell – an alternative universe
Kings Cross in the 1980s wasn’t the most salubrious location in London. Hub of the Tube and over ground network, it had a restless, edgy, energy; an undercurrent of danger that made most people pass through it as quickly as they could. Those who lingered were often sex workers, alcoholics, drug addicts, homeless – or queer.
The Bell on Pentonville Road was the main attraction for a certain type of queer looking for somewhere to drink, dance, laugh and love. And that type of queer came in all manner of guises – from elaborately quiffed rockabillies to plumed punks, black swathed Goths to shorn skinheads – many of them students or unemployed.
Despite their sartorial differences, the Bell crowd had plenty in common, not least their left of centre politics which saw them at the forefront of many significant LGBT groups of the time, most notably perhaps, Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners. Donations to LGSM from the Bell were double that of any other venue (£1,500 by December 1984) which is all the more impressive given how young and skint the Bell crowd were.
Lesbians Against Pit Closures were supported with a benefit on one of the women-only nights and Lesbian and Gay Switchboard also reaped the profits from a benefit night. This combination of political activism and generosity made the Bell a beacon for people with a cause and a collection bucket, including the Terence Higgins Trust, ACT UP, OutRage and striking print workers.
The other common denominator for the Bell crowd was their taste in music which, like their politics, was leftfield, quirky, (very) specific and frequently obscure. The pop and Hi-NRG music so prevalent in gay pubs and clubs didn’t get a look in at the Bell.
Think punk, new wave, indie rock and synths. The Smiths, Siouxsie & the Banshees, The Associates, The Cult, the KLF, Kate Bush – these are the more well-known artists whose records caused a stir on the Bell’s relatively small dancefloor. Most of the tracks were niche and felt like closely-guarded secrets that only those who were there should know.
The Famous (and the Infamous)
And some of the artists found on the decks could also be found queuing at the bar too. Not to mention faces from film, TV and fashion including Jimmy Somerville, Sinead O’Connor, Culture Club’s Helen Terry, The Associate’s Billy MacKenzie, dancer Michael Clark, director Derek Jarman, designer John Paul Gaultier and (very briefly) Morrissey.
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No comments. That’s terrible. You forget the Eurythmics, who went down a storm, friday nights, at least. I was there a lot. I liked it, but didn’t fit in, so didn’t like it? I remember a lot of stuff going on there. Huge drinking sessions and I’ve just remembered, my last ever drink, 30 years ago last month. 10 to 2(a.m.), 15th April 89. Two pints of Tenants Extra and a double whisky. I was out the door and ten past two and was sofe hooked the next day, that I completely missed the Hillborough disaster, didn’t find out till Sunday, at a meeting. I saw the newspaper and freaked.
Brillant pub! i used to go there on friday and saturday night in the late 80’s, the music was great
Me to !! 😉
This was the place to be women’s only night was amazing I saw Erausure there as just a band Beutiful people safe space raided s few times finger condoms being given out to women jimmy Somerville used to go there on there mixed night i danced with him a lot it was a great space for women’ there was not a lot of women only places I had the best time then they stopped women only night ..
I remember you Stevie! going to the bell was one of the best times of my life!
Film at the Scala – Jig at The Bell – Pool game at Traffic – last one at illegal drinking bar on Cally Rd basement – Troll home along the canal ……. Sleep – repeat the weekend away.
All done on a shoe string, wake up in me squat home Monday.
Used to frequent the Bell late 80’s. Great times. I made a tee for those that were also devotees. Check it out. https://www.etsy.com/listing/945796124/the-bell-black-unisex-t-shirt
How can I get one
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The Bell is my spiritual home even to this day. Such great women only
nights. I had my first date with a
woman at The Bell.
This was a fantastic alternative place to be outside of the gay mainstream music and lfashion of the 1980s. Inspired by Bowie Scourie Soux Morriset etc this was a haven for us freaks who didn’t look like therican gay clone look. I.e checked shirts and moustaches. It was quintessentially British full of characters many of whom went on to be famous in their own right in fashion, art film and music.
Riley Advertising – are you that Robert? Hi from Irish Catherine Coughlan, hope you’re well 🙂
Many happy memories of The Bell, as a young 21 year old Barman, I recall Steve, Jean on the Coatcheck and so many other faces who became part of the Bell family for my 2 years there. I remember so many of the customers, this was a whole new, exciting and somewhat enchanting world for a Northerner like myself who had never experienced such. From staff trips on the Tube to BANG and all the years in-between – great times!
I worked there too in the early 90s, Simon was the manager then. I remember we had the sisters DJ on a Friday night, I took over for a while when they left. Was a fun time all trapping off to FF on a Sunday night down at Turnmills. Jo Purvis did the T Dance on a Sunday,we used to make sandwiches on the bar while they did their ballroom lessons. So many fond memories. Living upstairs in what seemed like squatting conditions.
Thinking of making a Bell playlist for Spotify. Any track suggestions?
Has to be No GDM by Gina X
Sunday nights were the best nights
Took our LGBTQ Forum here tonight after visiting @queerbritain then remembered this was the pub where I first danced with a man in 1987 – to fabulous music with a brilliant eclectic collection of gorgeous queer misfits! Will never forget what this pub did for my gay life in London – Smiths,Eurythmics,The Cure,Bronski Beat,Communards,Blondie,Human League & much much more !! ???
Happy memories of the mid 80’s squatting in Chamberlain House with a glorious bohemian crowd. Every week at the Batcave and The Bell with Chamerlain comrades. Diversity was alive and well in those places. Hallelujah!
Ossultpn Street Chamberlain house. Great times circa 1983. Xxx
Walked past The Bell regularly in 1985 to glimpse in and see what gay life was about.
Went into the bell Mondays to meet the lesbians who persuaded me to come back weekends.
Embraced gay and night life on Friday nights for music, flat top looks , and fab music
Never looked back
Love to all Dr Alan
Went there a couple of times in the late 1980s when visiting London in my mid twenties. Loved the place. One night I met a handsome local who took me home and we had the lousiest sex ever. I recall he blew the kettle that morning so we couldn’t have tea for breakfast. A year later I saw him again in the bar, went up to him to say hi and he said: “Are you here again??”. Ah those good old days…
OMG! Patrick that is terrible. Apart from anything else it seems to go against the general vibe of the place(at least as far as I remember it.) But it sounds like you still hold happy memories of the Bell, despite the behaviour of this one particularly rude person.
Colin
I’d never been to the Bell but I did like Traffic where I spent many happy hours dancing in the dark. Having lived on York Way for a year when I got to London, (1985) then Judd Street, I’m surprised I never discovered The Bell, perhaps I thought it was a straight bar and people were pretty homophobic in the 80’s. Finally I was a barman at 21 in the Carpenters Arms, 1986, in Seymour Place a mixed Gay bar, that was the best move of my life.