This Guildford High Street ‘drinking’ den was above Russell & Bromley shoe shop. Ricky & The Rhythmics were the house band for a while. Another local band Ad-Finitum also played there, as did The David James Band.
In the late 50’s and early 60’s, Tommy Strudwick manged the club. Husband and wife team, Jerry and Anne, also managed the venue for a while, and ‘Old Jack’ was the doorman. If spread over two floors, with a bar on each, and was renowned for it’s revealing U.V. lighting. One of the venues managers once bought an old Foosball table from The Parrot Inn, Shalford for £10.00. Opening it up, once installed, he found £20.00 in tanners inside.
The venue also infamously banned a contingent of 1,400 French students that were visiting Guildford in the early 60’s. By ’65, The Rivals were playing the club regularly, on Sunday nights, despite the club’s £6 fee!
The Tunsgate Club was later renamed Dronfields, after the then manager John Dronfield, and we know that Smokestakks played the venue under this moniker in ’65 or ’66. In ’71 the club moved to 11 Quarry Street and shortly after was renamed Harpers.
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