The Busy Bee was an out of town
Transport Café popular with Rockers
and swamped by motorcycles in the
evening. Situated on the Watford
bypass, the Busy Bee became the
Beehive Hotel and subsequently the
Hilton National. There was a rumour
that a 'mod' strayed off course into the
Busy Bee for a cuppa only to later find
that his scooter had been 'accidentally'
consigned to Carlisle under a tarpaulin
on the back of a flat-bed truck. The
Busy Bee Motorcycle Club has been in
existence since 1994 and includes
members from some of the original
“Cowboys” of the “Busy Bee”.
Notorious Rockers café at Stonebridge
Park, Wembley. Motorcyclists used to
hold 'time trials' between the 'Ace' and
'Neasden Roundabout' on the North
Circular Road sometimes using a record
playing on the jukebox as a timer! The
Ace gave way to a Fast Fit Tyre bay and
the roundabout at Neasden was
removed to cope with today's heavy
traffic. The Ace has now been restored
to it's rightful former glory as a
motorcycle café venue. In addition to
marking its 80th year in 2018, the Ace
has international recognition.
_________________________________
The ‘59’ was a ton-up Vicar's youth club
in Hackney. Attracted many followers
from the 'Ace'. Managed by the late
Rev. Bill Shergold, the club is
affectionately known by London riders
as 'The Vic's Caff'!".
The 59 Club badge soon became an
icon of the 1960’s youth culture that has
continued to this day.
The Lady Margaret Cafe (site of)
One
of
the
local
haunts
of
the
60s
for
Greenford
and
Northolt
bikers
was
the
Lady
Margaret
Café
at
the
Greenford
end of the Lady Margaret Road. It had a
jukebox
and
an
early
Italian
frothy
coffee
machine
ably
operated
by
Roy
the
proprietor.
I
remember
a
real
character
called
Johnny
Evans
who
used
to
sing
along
with
the
hits
of
the
day.
(
Click
here
for
example
from
era
)
Johnny
also
used
to
arrange
trips
out
in
his
old
classic
cars
to
the
seaside
or
other bikers’ meeting places.
