I used to visit Winter's in the 60's & 70's quite a lot, usually to get stuff for school - pencils, protractors, compasses and so on.
There were occasions when I popped in to spend my pocket money on other items too. I remember they had a rack in one corner of the shop that sold a book series called "How to draw". So they'd have How to draw - faces, animals, cartoons, landscapes, and such like. I indulged in a few of those.
In the early 70's, the interior became L-shaped after a wee make over.
As for The Chelsea Lounge, well it was a pub I was never in. In fact, I don't recall ever having drank there in any of it's guises, these being - The Drum, City Centre Bar, The Stance & Drum plus the more recent ones who's names I've lost track of.
Bar Valencia with the worst tapas Ive ever tasted, infact, I think after a week or two they reverted back to the usual microwaved dross fayre... Lennons 'Dundee Best Live Music Venue' - NOT... I remember a french restaurant upstairs from Winters a decade or so ago.
ReplyDeleteSo do i ...Pascal (previous owner )...we have had à super time from 1995 till 99.
DeletePascal my old friend....
DeleteYup..I agree...every incarnation of that bar was dire. With each name change I'd go in out of curiosity to see if it had improved...but it never had.
ReplyDeleteWinters was a great place. I remember the beautiful polished brass finger plates, handles on the doors and the mosaic-ed and marbled neo-classical foyer.
One day, when on business, my dad took me upstairs to see the mega printing presses. I was just a tiddler at the time and everything looked huge and Victorian, like something out of Dickens novel
Pierre Victoire was the restaurant thatwas located in the upstairs print room.
I loved it.
At one point it was painted black and completely lit by candlelight. Very atmospheric...felt like I was in a Peter Greenaway film! Fab.
Served part of my time at Winters... Hell of a place to work. Management made the Gestapo look like Laural and Hardy!
ReplyDeletePierre Victoire's was a great restaurant. I remember one day, when I was still a student, a few of us went there for lunch. However, our limited budget didn't extend much beyond a plate of chips!!!!
ReplyDeleteRe. Chelsea Lounge. If I remember correctly the licensee was a guy named Eddie who had very successfully run the Number 10 in South Tay St. previously. Sadly, the magic did not work at the Chelsea Lounge.
ReplyDeleteRe. Pierre Victoire. Were our beloved Council not involved in some way or other e.g. either as landlords or handing out some huge grant. Did this business not fold in some acrimony?
Worked in the shop in the 60's but only a short time. Got sacked for telling porkies about my last employment wages.
ReplyDeleteHe he he... Tapas indeed. How was the Jamón Ibérico? The Chelsea Lounge was a bit plush from memory. Yes Winters upstairs like a museum so it was.
ReplyDeleteThe Chelsea was owned by Eddie Summerton and it was very sucessful - not as much as the Chelsea but...... I thought it was a great wee pub. Not like the dire Lennons.
ReplyDeleteoops - i meant the chelsea was not as sucessful as the No 10 but i dont know what pub was.
ReplyDeleteIs that the same Eddie who's a tutor at art school now?
ReplyDeleteEddie Summerton (Chelsea) was the father of Eddie Summerton the artist.
ReplyDeleteAh ok cheers.
ReplyDeleteWe used to nip in here for a pint after the monthly Michelin shop stewards meetings, held in the old T&G office in Dock St.(now a Thai restaurant).
ReplyDeleteIt was called the Chelsea at that time, which would be around 1989-90.
I remember the Pierre Victoire establishment up the stairs. They were a nationwide chain, which went bust in the late 90's. Apparently they've relaunched down South again.
ReplyDeleteBar Valencia / Lennons were both pretty drab establishments which were trying to be something they weren't - I don't even think they knew what sort of hostelries they were !