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The Long Bar was on the ground floor of what had been a theatre, at 103 Union Street. The bar was at right angles to Union Street, and at the far end was a small stage, on which there were sometimes "live” musical acts. I remember that on one occasion, the act was a heavily-built Royal Marines sergeant, in drag, singing “If you were the only girl in the world”. I also remember that the bar sold locally-brewed Starkey, Knight, and Ford bitter, which was cheap, and therefore popular with the clientele, who were not content until their back teeth were awash like a “half-tide” rock! The Long Bar was much frequented by “Ladies of the Night”, and I recall that one of my fellow Apprentices paid for a “knee-trembler” with a buxom granny, up against the Wimpey caravan in the parking lot, whist the rabble cheered him on! I averted my eyes. Honestly. If you exited the Long Bar back onto Union Street, and turned left, one could re-enter the same building, and climb the stairs to a sleazy strip club named “The Pink Pussycat”. When most pubs closed at 2300, the “Pink Pussycat”, which described itself as a restaurant, although its menu only stretched to “ bangers and mash”, was able to continue serving drinks, and was therefore a licence to print money for the owners. It was also a licence to print money for the strippers, who, having finished their stage show, would sashay sweatily through the drinkers, saying “Would you like to see me Dressing Room, my Luvver?”.
Source: Alan Knight
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