Can Can Coffee Bar

The Can Can was on Booth Street and was a coffee bar and club with separate entrances. The coffee bar entrance was on Booth Street and the club's was on the corner of Chancery Place. The club was a one off... if not the first to be called a discotheque! The club was owned by a Mr. Reubens when I first went, and later sold to a German gentleman with the unfortunate name of Gerry! Ray Teret was the main DJ with Gary Laine and myself assisting. We were the first to play many of the songs now associated with the Northern Soul scene and were also the first city centre club to have a regular ska/bluebeat night. The cafe retained its name throughout, but the club became the Red Bed and then Kaleidoscope, before, I think, returning to its original name. The club decor was always unusual with artwork done by 'Bilbo', which was Bill Morgan, myself and my future wife Tina. We were also the first to have psychedelic lights and to use a strobe.