2i's Coffee Bar
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| Location |
Old Compton Street London, W1 United Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Public transit |
 Leicester Square
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| Owner | Paul Lincoln |
| Type | Coffee bar |
| Opened | 1956 |
| Closed | 1970 |
The 2i's Coffee Bar was a coffee bar on Old Compton Street in Soho, London, that was open from 1956 to 1970. It played a formative role in the emergence of Britain's pop music culture in the late 1950s, and several major stars including Tommy Steele and Cliff Richard were first discovered performing there.
The name of the 2i's derived from earlier owners, Freddie and Sammy Irani, who ran the venue until 1955. It was then taken over by Paul Lincoln – an Australian wrestler and wrestling promoter known as "Dr. Death" – and Ray Hunter. They opened it as a coffee bar on 22 April 1956. Tom Littlewood, previously its doorman and a judo instructor, became its manager in 1958.
The basement of the coffee bar had live music making use of a small, 18-inch wide stage. Lincoln and Hunter started putting on skiffle groups; the first resident group were the Vipers, who included Wally Whyton. It soon won a clientele attracted because of its rock'n'roll music, and for a time became "the most famous music venue in England," and attracted talent spotters and music promoters such as Jack Good, Larry Parnes and Don Arden.
The coffee bar allowed standing room for about 20 people, and had a serving counter with an espresso coffee machine, orange juice dispenser, and sandwich display case. The coffee bar was run by Jon Vickers-Jones who was the assistant manager. He would help with setting up the stage area for the musicians and would often record them rehearsing on a Grundig Tape recorder. A door at the back led to the manager's office, and a narrow stairway led down to a "dismal and dark cellar about the size of a large bedroom, lit by a couple of weak bulbs. At one end was the small 18 inch stage made of milk crates with planks on top of them. There was just one microphone, left over from the Boer War, and some speakers up on the wall." In November 1956, Paul Lincoln opened a second venue, The New 2I’s Club, which ran every weekend in the multi-scene cellar at 44 Gerrard Street.
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