London cafeterias 50's - 60's

[NaviLight]

Hey newsreel fans and cafeteria fans dont bother reading comments, just racists below here.

[srithetree62]

and also....how many countries have the british colonized?? seriously.

[srithetree62]

seriously? how can people say that the british let in all these "foreigners" and it's terrible when the british (and other europeans) themselves came to the us and basically pushed native americans out of their home!!! come on.

[polpotsdog]

Ya square.....know your place.

[engleshen]

I wish they made  a 3D version :D

[HerbertTheHamster]

life seemed incredibly boring back then

[LetsShineNow]

London is finished now thanks to non-whites

[JimTLonW6]

There were several chains, the term 'fast food' wasn't used but there were Lyons and ABC.

As for immigrants, they've done wonders for food in England; it isn't routinely awful like it was then. People have even learned how to cook vegetables properly instead of boiling them to a pulp.

PS England / British Isles have been subject to migrants of one sort or another since the end of the Ice Age!

[coffeevancouver]

Oh this is awesome! I love this!

[NealAGray]

Coffee and coffee houses are a big part of my life..next to cheesburgers,beer and pizza.....

[stevo728822]

The coffee bar fetish started long long before 1952. More like the 18th century.

[CrackerJackLee]

7:00... the pioneer Goths...

[saborfrancias]

Hipters in the 50s? haaaa nooooooo

lol



[mraluminumsiding]

@saborfrancias The word "hipster" has been used for a long, long time.

[staypress]

I mean it aint the buildings or river etc but just the people that have changed London forever I mean I had to move out like many thousands of Londoners, I mean the east end is now east ---------%$£"!

[captainumbnuts]

Judging by ancient clothes those stains, I can hazard a guess at what 'iron foot jack' smelt like, nevertheless no gypsys, muggers & feral street shites here, real shops and a real British culture....sadly gone forever.

[captainumbnuts]

where is all the 'green' paper & plastic packaging?

[lini200]

I LOVED THE CAFES OFF OXFORD STREET AND MET MY FIRST LOVE THERE WHO SANG A SPANISH SONG CABARETERA. WE DANCED AND LOVED EACH OTHER. A WONDERFUL MEMORY WHERE HAS IT GONE.....

[TheoHuxtable07]

@skinnman1 If you are intimidated by people who you think are intellectuals, then you're pretty insecure with yourself. No one is trying to show off for anyone here. I just think you can not make bold overstatements such as his. If he's saying "everyone now-a-days talks and wants to be blank" like you stated, then he really hasn't seen the world then. He's blinded by faux pop-culture, and his frustration is misguided.

[chanctonbury63]

I know that coffee by the colour. Bloody disgusting.

[lady12480]

All those cups look the same

[AitchMars]

@lady12480 They would do, there was a very limited range of product back then, unlike now...

[bopkick5]

wow . the ladies in those days look so stylish and lovely. i bet they know stuff that us men just are'nt aware of.

[hoffnerburns]

I think you'll find that it wasn't socialism that killed the cafes off but the market place. People stopped going to cafes and went to Starbucks instead.

[cotslod]

A pity this charming film has turned into a platform for racists.

[earlysixties]

@embran and all the other blind idiots

Haven't you ever heard of Chavs?

I hope you learn the hard way. Do a quick Google image search on Chavs. They're white and they're infesting every major city in England with crime and violence.

[abyschan]

@earlysixties Oh, so it's not racism then as per your justification. Just straight-up bigotry. Thanks for clarifying for us!

[acratense]

For those of us who lived in london on those days and recognise many of the places shown, it is a pleasure to be able to watch and go back even for a while to those incredible days.

Thank you so much for your effort.

[olokmaa]

could you tell me, what's the music at the beggining?

[Mrfairchap]

Please try to be a little tolerant everybody. Years ago, people were generally unaware of the dangers of smoking. We live and learn - surely that is the whole point of life, if there is one? I have lived quite a long life, and have only properly learned one thing from the whole experience - namely, everything changes, like it or hate it. Just go with the flow, treat people with respect and try to be happy! End of lesson! Thanks for posting.

[mcs32jr1968]

You're right, the USA is quickly going down the same route as GB...except instead of Pakistanis and others we have everyone from Mexico, China, and the remaining 3rd world coming in droves to our shores. I personally believe our current economic system is not capable of sustaining such an onslaught, even if the majority is cheap labor. Things are changing fast, America will never be the same. I guess I just have to roll with the punches and get used to living in a "Blade Runner" type of society.

[diozent]

I was under the impression that crap drip coffee was the norm in London until the 1990s.

[mcs32jr1968]

I'm a Yank that just loves these type of nostalgic films, but what I have to say is, no offense, but Brits your country is done...liberal policies coupled with corruption and the influx of cheap labor has changed your country forever. Soon the Union Jack will be replaced by the Crescent of Islam. Thanks to Youtube for providing a window to the past that most of don't even remember or had the opportunity to appreciate. The only constant in life is change. Deal with it.

[messiiironaldo]

@mcs32jr1968 which is why we British are all immigrating to Australia or Spain, as your from USA you should realize the south west is being taken back by Mexicans, and as the USA is trillions in debt, cheap labor is welcome to more Hispanics, if i'm honest with all the private companies running your country, with your government more than happy to pass legislations for them which override the constitution, its only a matter of time before mass mayhem hits the USA.

[dechips]

@mcs32jr1968 No offence but if someone was to show a clip of a coffee bar in Southern USA at the same time as this clip, we'd see the shameful Jim Crow laws in place.

[mcs32jr1968]

@dechips You're absolutely right, Dickens had it right on the nose, "It was the best of times...the worst of times.." As charming as we remember these places to be and as nostalgic as we wax for "simpler, more innocent" times, we must remember each time and place was as bad as it was good. The USA was/is no different. Thanks for the reality check...

[ClashAce]

Not an immigrant in sight! Brilliant!

[acratense]

Recently I went back to London for a visit, after many years. I used to live there in the 60,s and 70,s. I went to most of the places I used to go, coffe shops, pubs, restaurants etc.....I just couldn´t believe how everything had change for the worst. London used to be an unique place in the world. I lived for a while off King`s Rd, a place full of charm and artist. Today it's just another place.Where did my old swinging LOndon went to? I miss it......

[staypress]

@acratense well it aint swinging no more I am afraid but whinging dirty and full of basically all the shit in the world I mean go for a ride on the central line bet ween Liverpool Street and newbury park and u will understand

[ricadus]

Great to see the views of London streets without roadmarkings.

[Marillionboy]

What a wonderful little film. I love the dark haired actress earning £6 a week to keep "the wolf from my door." Bless her. I hope she got her break and had a very happy life.

[JimTLonW6]

I was wondering when we would see a Teddy Boy!

I don't really think the fifties were that wonderful, all the people were crabby, food everywhere was DREADFUL and of course people smoked everywhere.

[snowfield667]

@JimTLonW6 You make me laugh. Seriously. In the 50s there were no fast food chains. They ate proper food not junk crap. Food has gone downhill since we let those immigrants in.

[localdriver]

I went to the 'Macabre' coffee bar (the one with the skeletons, and with coffins for tables) one lunch time in 1961 and the place was completely dead. (haha).

Nice film.

[philpara1]

Yes my friend, call me what you like, I tell u this much. I am nurse and I watched and treated your happy and relaxed friends as they died from smoke related disease caused by smoking. You dare to tell me I get stressed out to watch people smoke. Watch them fighting for breath and then die in front of your eyes and see how stressed you get. Yes I too would love to go back to those days [i am 62] but not everything was good for you even then, as now with ''recreational drugs'' are now d fashion.

[philpara1]

All those sophisticated, elegant arty farty cool dudes smoking cigarettes with no consideration for themselves or others, selfish bastards are probably all dead by now

[koyaanisqatsi2]

@philpara1

Its a pity your politically correct, arrogant and self opinionated "modern" attitude blinds you to how much happier and more relaxed people were in those days. In those days everone simply just got on with life, no one got stressed over petty things like someone having a cigarette, there were bigger things to worry about. And still everyone was happier and nicer to each other than than they are today. Pity, i'd go back any day.

[Rico8458]

what happen was mass immigration of negros and arabs to london.

[MrFantasnick]

What we should keep in mind is that these films depict only the positive things of the moment. I see a lot of comment like OMG the 50' and 60s were perfect now it's all scum bla bla bla...But think rationnaly for a second.

the vietnam war, a horrible amount of drugs, prostitution was rampant, society in general was incredebly stiff and conservative, students protests turning into hecatombs, beating wives and children was considered normal!

There was good and bad, like today!

[MrOregona230]

@MrFantasnick Society was very stiff and conservative eh sounds nice

[TheoHuxtable07]

@MrFantasnick Thank you for saying that. A lot of people here are simply blinded by nostalgia and not really looking at the whole picture of the times.

[timsharville]

Check the best ginger quiff in the World at 2.35

[pot2peein]

Racist back then was too many greasy haired Italians and Maltese organized crime, and the Jews had a few salt-beef sandwich bars . The prossies where everywhere, they even accosted men with familes and children. Yes, midmogal you are right...it was better than dumb Starbucks- people were social not engrossed in their laptops.

[MrBlaxjax]

Great film. Soho remains an interesting place today, one or two of the 1950s coffee bars remain, like relics from another age. Whether this was a more innocent time is debatable. There was criminality, & a LOT of prostitution & drug taking. But in the 50s, amphetamines were available legally at chemists, heroin was available on prescription, so there was no drug based anti-social criminality so common today. This film was made in central London, was not really typical of The UK as a whole..

[pot2peein]

You drank tasteless milky coffee because there was no wine and the pubs were closed most of the day

[midmodgal]

@pot2peein There's no half & half (yummy cream) even in Starbucks, so the coffee still tastes like warm milk. How about that Tiki bar in the opening shot? Wow!

[rodjames98]

@pot2peein very good! this country never ever woke up to european standards, and to a large extent still has'nt. Even going into tesco or sainsburys so called cafe is still unlicensed.

[The45Falcon]

@pot2peein You write such bullshit. Wine was on the offer every day and coffee was properly made, not the too sweet taste it has now. Pubs were open like today but weren't open all night. Check your facts retard.

[Wordman67]

I can't believe the look of this newsreel--that fantastic color! This is a beautiful print, the color seems as vibrant as it must have been when this was first shown.

[edj66]

Wow, all the nostalgic racists are here too! I want to watch a nice film, and the comments are all about 'forrins' and Muslims. YOU are the people that make this world worse, as well as those you choose to blame.

[boffinme80]

I miss the old cafeterias and maltshops. Now we have Starbucks, McDonalds, and all these fast food restaurants. Why did these great things disappear and get replaced with pkaces full of rubbish??

Also I remember the greatest thnig about the 60's. No chavs!

[Teddyboy53Rocker]

Brilliant stuff, well posted :O)

[worldartsuk]

what a fantastic look back in time, and we thought the coffee revolution started with Starbucks....

[slazzer145]

all whites it is nice to see ..now 2010 if u will arrive in London it is like africa ,asia eastern europeans carribeans all kinds of people lives now in London...im getting to hate London because I dont see any real LOndoners..all I could see are asylum seekers refugees...etc etc..

[calihartley2010]

@slazzer145 Blame your politicians for letting in these scum. I am glad that the UK is now limiting immigration. Maybe in a few years London will be classy again

[eugenius101]

@calihartley2010 - class is a concept that contains to elude the likes of you ...

[calihartley2010]

@eugenius101 Excuse me. I do know what class is all about. So shut up.

[calihartley2010]

@slazzer145 Blame your politicians for letting in these scum. I am glad that the UK is now limiting immigration. Maybe in a few years London will be classy again

[MsPeperonata]

The Stockpot in Old Compton Street is the only one still going. Not a coffee bar, more a cheap restaurant now.

[nickit7676]

Its these cool kids that are running the country now - no wonder its all gone to pot.

[BuyBenco]

So koo! At the newspaper one you could see the beatniks and early liberal radicals getting ready for later in the decade...Everyone had awesome style and the youth music was like controlled jazzy rock and roll and yet the narrator considered it rebellious and loud!

[janknuckey]

Ah yes...happy days! Before this country completely went to shit ...

[john111257]

great memories

[whitlamite]

Wonderful video. A document of history.

[GuinevereJuliet]

I absolutely enjoyed this. It's a pleasure to see English people in England. And notice how more fastidious everyone was in their appearance and demeanor. Today, unfortunately, anything goes. The 1950s and 1960s were the pinnacle of Western civilization. I sure wish I could return to those decades.

[HectorsHouseMusic]

4,46. Don't worry about how much you earn love, phone he R.S.P.C.A. It was so different in those days. Wolves just left to roam about. Do something about it!

[warrenholborn]

the commentar is slightly wrong Bar Italia opened in 1949, Selling coffee, and still going strong today

Wonderful to see the 2I's club at 2min 46, where my Parents met

[RodCow]

And where Tommy Steele got discovered (the 2 i's)

[djbethell]

Shame they ripped out the New Piccadilly this year. Can't believe it wasn't saved. It was so, so beautiful. Amazing how much the voices have changed so much too. La-di-da, Guv'nor!

Guy at 3:48 "You point you're finger at me one more bleedin' time mate and I'll rip your sodding arm orrrf!"

4:33 Mary seems a bit of a go-er, but who's that nosy waitress at 5:01

Good to see the Stockpot's still survived.

[lausanne67]

Agree about the voices having changed since then. Now, most young people speak a sort of black-American form of English. A sign of the decline in belief in Englishness.

[TheoHuxtable07]

@lausanne67 A "black-American form of English?" Please, enlighten me without using stereotypes or ignorant assumptions based on superficialities.

[xwsftassell]

Yeah, I went over there for a ham sandwich and a mug of stewed tea a little while ago, and you could've knocked me down wiv a fevva, there it was - gorn.

[eserebcin]

i love the narrator, proper piss taker

[ONKlub]

At 1:23 there's a Vespa at the curb. Probably an early mod(ernist) inside the coffee bar.

[twoslices]

There was also 'The Macabre' in Wardour st

[2009ginasweetie]

Compton street ?

[priapus56]

A throughly enjoyable 8 minutes 19 seconds. Thank-you very much indeed.

[Isleofskye]

Yes but Henry observe the difference in manners and politeness!

Thats why the only crime back then was confined to a few gangs ( Krays etc).

I guarantee you that your Mum or Granma would not be mugged in the street.

People had standards back then!

[djbethell]

Nah, they were usually beaten by the husbands as domestic violence was not even accepted. Paedophilia was ignored as was child-beatings. It may have looked all cosy and sweet but behind closed doors was another story for many people. People kept more secrets in those days.

[BuyBenco]

@djbethell Asshole look at today

[BuyBenco]

@djbethell Called you that because of you giving the 50s-early 60s a bad name today is much worse

[Teddyboy53Rocker]

Great times indeed, shame the politicians screwed it up

[hillmancalifornian]

cool film but why has'nt anyone reopened the 2is? they did it with the ace cafe

[stagggloves]

It is still open as a cafe, just not called the 2 I's anymore

[hillmancalifornian]

whats it called now ?

[stagggloves]

I believe that it is called the "Boulevard Bar and dining room" at 59 Old Compton Street, Soho.

[hillmancalifornian]

thanks I'll look it up next time i'm in town

[amarone1956]

These were great times in England. What's happened to the country?

[cubanbrown]

what's happened to the country..?

They let all us Cubans in.

That's what!

[john111257]

@amarone1956 a tea bag costs about 4 pence...a mug of tea can cost over £1...greedy people these days...go to a church hall and they charge 25p...tells a story

[TheWhitehall]

@amarone1956  MASS IMMIGRATION!

[TheWhitehall]

@ToniLCD I have always enjoyed jellied eels,cockles and winkles. Once common fare enjoyed by Londoners for generations. Long before influences from afar established themselves. I enjoy the fish "n" chips served at the white painted corner shop on Brighton sea front. The old West Pier looks a total disaster.

[fredxtini1]

@amarone1956 One big tragedy called..... MUSLIMS!!!!

[calihartley2010]

@fredxtini1 You are competely right. Include liberals too.

[embran]

@amarone1956

Basically you let all the indians, blacks and muslims etc. in, you build plenty of ugly council houses and let your culture die in the agony of socialism

[chanctonbury63]

@amarone1956 We finally discovered food!

[georgiegirlhiphops]

Very good

[AmyBird85]

Great video, even if the skeleton-themed coffee bar was a bit freaky!!!! I love the whole idea of having bands play, it creates a fun atmosphere, and looks like a great place to go especially if you don't want to go to the pub but still have a boogie. Loving the fashions too!

[johnniescarlett]

This is wonderful! More please.

The opening music and credits bring back great childhood memories of going to the pictures in the UK - trying to see the screen through a fug of cigarette smoke!!

Soho looks great, full of real characters and lovely old classic cars.

Isn't the first waitress the actress Rosemary Leach? She later went on to be Ronnie Corbett's Wife in the sitcom "No, That's Me Over Here" in the late sixties.

[stagggloves]

No it isn't Rosemary Leach.

[johnniescarlett]

Another fab posting!

[staypress]

such wonderful innocent times that my parents lived through great music hair and fashion wow now look what I have to live with scummy shit people crap music boom boom etc and absolutely not worth it Please give me a time machine Thanks for posting you made my day

[modelearth]

@staypress couldnt agree more. damn i missed it all!!!! wish i could go back

[KARFan]

@staypress I totally AGREE with You!Those were the days!I wish I had a Time Machine!

[Koganman123]

Thanks for this. We have lost something somewhere. Thank heavens for films like this being posted on U tube. My father owned a transport cafe in the 1960s, not quite the same thing - but similar. The thing thats not obvious is just how few places there were to eat out back then

[wizzfoot]

great post, such a shame london's lost so much of it's quirky little places, thanks to ridiculous rents and rates, driven by the bland american coffee monster invasion we got 1000 varities of coffee and one big homogenized high street London-wide. star bucks is for wankers that need to have a faux life style experience in the blandest of surroundings! Not my cup of tea

[coolitababy]

I think you mean coffee bars, not cafeterias.

Nice clip though.

[MedavogHatesTerell]

coffee bars did not exist yet

cafe or cafeterias only