First time in The Jester
1979
"It was, I think, at the end of 1979. I had been told about the place at the gay centre down on Alison Street. So on one Friday Night I decided to take the plunge. I was living in Walsall at the time so got the 51 bus over which terminated at the Minories. The walk from there to Holloway circus was, shall we say a tad fraught, I was in a panic. Which was only made worse when I got to the place and saw a door, and that was it!! just a Door. OH MY GOD!!! I think I was expecting an 'ordinary pub' but no.. was just a door. Well that was enough to send me into gibbering mess-ness and I trolled up and down and around about until about 30 minutes later a whole crowd of guys came sashaying up from the underpass that connected Hurst st with Hill st and I kinda tagged along behind and followed them in. And down the stairs... it was VERY intimidating because (it seemed) that the whole pub looked. I remember a floor standing Juke box at the bottom of the steps up to the loos.. and in that alcove a couple of space invader games Place was run by a woman called Maureen - I remember her as being very brash and quite aggressive... but hey ho. Later when I became a bit more of a 'regular' used to get guys coming in handing out free tickets to get into the old 'Gale over by the Villa... always worth going if only for the rather gorgeous Buffet. It was a very cruisy bar back then... That changed later when it was taken over by David and 'the green goddess' (bless em both) I must admit I was very upset to hear the place had finally closed down.. I went in for the last time perhaps 4 years ago and it was a shadow of its former self.. very sad. But like many - it will always have a very special place in my memories."
Contributed by: Tony, 46