Toxteth, Liverpool 1983 : Jamaica House / Sierra Leone Clubs & racist door policy in the city centre

[@EvilEddtheRed]

By contrast, as a white person who occasionally went to clubs in L8 in the 1980s, I can honestly say I was always made welcome.

[@Theoriginalbigbrillo]

The Gladray 🤔🤔

[@ponyboycurtis3795]

Always a weak nobhead racial apologist

[@highburyhoops6074]

@@Theoriginalbigbrillowhat was that place like ?

[@jaimz33]

​@@Theoriginalbigbrillo Eurobar and the Sands.

[@stephensmith4480]

I remember some of those local clubs in Liverpool 8, Dutch Edie`s, The Gladray etc. In fact I used to have a pint with John Freeman who was the Brother of the two girls that owned The Gladray, he was a cracking lad. Liverpool has changed so much and in some instances, for the better. Toxteth is a vibrant community now where everyone is welcome.

[@donovanmcgrath3122]

Thank you Saffron Saffron for sharing these video clip gems. I heard you talk about the history of the sound system on BBC Radio London's Robert Elms programme.

[@saffronsaffron4848]

Many thanks Donovan

[@carltheblue.2531]

I grew up in L8 lodge lane , Im white and i had a afro - Caribbean step father, once you stepped out of Toxteth the racism against especially black folks was disgusting.. The bizzies also made life hell for them. i lived in L8 from 1972 -88 i see it all but Im very proud of the fact my best friends and their parents mostly Afro caribbean treated me like family.. The Frontline 👊🏼

[@aestheticsbyjasmine940]

Is right ✅️ ❤️

[@criartoros]

I'm a white guy from Huyton area.My brother had a flat in Selborne close in the 80s. All them Rastas were boss with a scouse accent, ruled them streets like steel. It's sad Toxteth is filled with immigrants and Muslims now. Walk down Lodge Lane, you can't hear the scouse accent anymore.

[@jaimz33]

​@@criartorosI lived in Parly in the 70's and 80's. I loved it. I recently went to Granny and it was like a ghost town. Reminded me of the riots when that tune was playing everywhere. Now it came true. Very sad. They divided a great community.

[@criartoros]

@@jaimz33 they did. I reckon they knew Toxteth had a strong community back then & would stand up to the establishment. So they started moving newbies in & gradually the community lost its strength. They even tried to close the Carrabean centre. It's clear the council favours Islam over Christianity. Muslims have took over Lodge Lane. Toxteth has the oldest black community in Europe, some history there. Bring back the Afro Jamaicans. They are the real Toxteth

[@Ash_kay00]

The Sierra Leonean community has been in Liverpool for ages and you’ll see and meet many ppl with the name kamara

[@jaynegreen1230]

boss memories of dancing the night away in Kirklands

[@Anonymous_Anon882]

Liverpool has an important history with ethnicity that most of the world (including London by-and-large) isn’t aware of. It’s impressive.

[@TINGVELL]

racism nothing will ever change its still the same

[@manosanastasiou4405]

Yer dang right it is next to no rap or even club events left

[@philipwilliams2310]

...... THANK YOU 'Saffron' - & for letting younger people know WHAT IT WAS LIKE!! 🤯 Phil. Liverpool UK 🇬🇧 (Huskisson Street)

[@Bamboozled01]

We,( me and my Brothers) were Escorted out of the CAVERN by the Bouncers 1969. Yeah the Famous CAVERN!! "I go to the movies and I go Downtown, Somebody keeps telling me Don't hang around " Still no CHANGE ! 🙏🏽❤️💛💚👊🏼👊🏼

[@stingray4real]

Wayne Laryea who played Marcus in Empire Road, Johnny in kid's show Pipkins and in the US kid's show The Bugaloos.

[@roycarder6179]

Your right he was my dads cousin

[@lindabishop7266]

I grew up in Liverpool 8 with mix race in the 60s I can honestly say never encountered any racism had a few friends of mix race

[@BobAt101]

I am a white Scouser, lived in Toxteth before and after the Riots, there was racism, just before the riot a Policeman knocked on the door, looked and said i am looking for someone who broke into a car down the road , he was black though, i said was there a camera he said no but they knew the criminal was black. I asked how ? and the copper left. We lived about 100yards from the riot when it started but thankfully it stayed pretty much on the main road. I spoke to some of the guys after and it was caused by a lot of racism and they said it was from the police in the main black people where being arrested for nothing.

[@xbulelo]

The irony for me is that you have white people dancing to Michael Jackson, a black person, whilst black people cant get in … Times have certainly changed for the better, for the most part … I have lived by Princes Park & I loved it there … not so much a concrete jungle as the centre (although the centre is definitely more vibrant). I’d like to see a Lark Lane style strip running through Toxteth somewhere. Sefton Park is not so far either. Lovely area.

[@pauldonnelly3179]

Michael Jackson turned white!

[@gerardrimmer1601]

I was born on princess ave 1950 knew a lot of lads from school initially, the later socially white Afro carribian, Afro Somali Chinese l am white l left 1972 yes there was racism on both sides or as it was termed then as prejudice , some of the half caste lads were fine some were open about it and some tried to hide it but it’s still a shit way to behave to another human being ,l can sympathise with their situation unemployment housing No prospects and l can see how that could twist you out of shape fortunately l left before the heavy drugs took over and messed up peoples lives and yes lost some old acquaintances from all that shit , best thing l ever done was leave L8

[@debbiefarley3913]

I Lived in Lodge Lane from 1966 yo 1982 I had lots off mates black and white and loved all the clubs the 21 the time piece and pubs coach and horses and Rob Roy it was fantastic living in lpool8 and still have a lot off friends from the area😊

[@bambue29earle64]

Yo Big ups general long time. Can you post a killerwatt sound system vs Saxon. Give thanks

[@classicepisodesofcrimewatc9971]

My scouse mate from Walton told me himself Liverpool is a racist city. Altho I think its now not as bad as it once was

[@simon9264]

so why only from the 80's and 90's? Why not sound systems from the 60's and 70's carnival? That's where the UK sound system began.

[@tonymcmahon_historybear]

Must admit, I went to Hollywoods on occasion in the early 1980s as a student and it was totally white - and certain other clubs nearby. So we used to go to the Casablanca - the Caz - where things were a lot more mixed and fun. Who needed the chicken in a basket crowd?

[@Mr_Nigeria100]

I'm black from Liverpool. I was born in 72 so I was too young to go to clubs in 83. My proper clubbing days were the 90's and early noughties.Honestly most clubs in the 90's and even now, don't mind black people in JUST AS LONG as there are not too many blk ppl in there. Club owners don't want there club to be a "black club" and if that happens they change the music. Today ? I feel sorry the young blk or mixed ppl in Liverpool. There's really no were to go but my clubbing days are well over

[@carltheblue.2531]

I lived Over Johns food store mate Lodge lane from 1979-85, and we are the same age , wonder if we ever met back then? as i moved to london in 88 Carl

[@jaimz33]

Things changed by the time Buzz opened

[@gerardrimmer1601]

Yes it’s a horrible feeling to be tuned away from entering a club because of you’re colour

[@julianpotentate5942]

lpool north is white south lpool darker not like this is central manchester salford was like lpool tho .......blacks can be racist i went to 80per cent black asian school ive lived it

[@davegonnaway6007]

A young scouse keegan michael key at the start...

[@pauldonnelly3179]

To be fair, at least in the late 80s and 90s, some of the black lads in L8 did have a reputation for violence and for fighting with other black gangs from Manchester (just like the Chinatown community fought with their counterparts in Manchester) and this may have been why bouncers/owners weren’t keen for them to come in. But at this point in time in the early 80s I suspect it was just due to their skin colour which is unfair

[@seantuaima]

I've always disliked Liverpool, even now.

[@Anonymous_Anon882]

Racism’s historically existed everywhere this side of the equator. Racism isn’t specific to Liverpool.

[@octaviussludberry9016]

Why? Have you been here? If so, when did you come? What's your prejudice evolved from? Just watched one of your 3 videos - it appears you're familiar with London, though your accent isn't London specifically. Bear in mind, this is 30 years ago. What was London like then - I remember PC Blakelock; riots; racial tension....essentially the same as any city in the UK. I think whaever issues you have, you outght to come and visit us. I think you'll find the City quite different from your presumption.

[@seantuaima]

@@octaviussludberry9016 done that already.

[@PaxBritannica34563]

Imagine tarring an entire cities natives to the same brush. You're no better mate.

[@seantuaima]

@@PaxBritannica34563 your no good yourself

[@OrwellsHousecat]

Those girls were basically saying they want uptown clubs, because they're too good for local people clubs.

[@verenajames6202]

No, they said they were too dressed up for a club in a derelict building. Is that so wrong?

[@verenajames6202]

It's like getting dressed up to go to a nice restaurant, but then having to end up having a meal at a take away. Doesn't mean the food etc at the take away is worse, or not good enough, but it's not what you'd had in mind. Not even mentioning how soul destroying it is to not be let in anywhere merely because of the shade of your skin