Radio Pubs

The Black Dog

This was the nearest pub to the Feltham studio, located at the junction of Shaftesbury Avenue and Staines Road. It was rarely frequented by radio staff though, as it was an early 1970's new build (at the time) devoid of any character and selling Watneys beer. If we used it at all it was for late off-sales, the Crown & Sceptre further along Staines Road was also used for buying a bottle of vodka when the off license at Minimax Corner was closed.

The Black Dog, Staines Road, Feltham

Railway Tavern

This was the main venue for meetings of Skyport, Radio England and Uptown staff, it was a 15 minute walk from the studio across the Glebelands fields and was adjacent to Feltham railway station.

The Railway Tavern, Bedfont Lane, Feltham

The Kings Arms

This large venue in Hampton Court serving Ruddles and Sam Smiths ale was the weekly meeting place of the Radio Jackie crew and their supporters. Many pirates from all over London could be found there on Sunday evening after the days broadcasts had ended. Being a Sunday it closed early, around 10:30pm for last orders, and so an "afters" pub was found at the top of Hampton Hill High Street which had a lock-in until 1 or 2am. I don't recall the name (White Hart?), but it was hosted by twin brothers, who, let's be kind, were rather eccentric. It had a vast selection of drinks from all over the world, but the brothers were insistant that if you wanted to stay locked in that you sample their many cocktail concoctions. One I recall was an "Alaskan Ordeal", vodka (lots) apple juice with ouzo floated on the top.

The Kings Arms, Hampton Court

L-R Ken Moule, Mark King, Peter Dollimore, Michael Barrington, Alan Lawrence and Dave Cliff

L-R Dave ?(standing) seated Ollie Frost, Ken Moule, Mark King, Peter Dollimore

The Ballot Box

This was located on Horsenden Hill and was very close to our transmitter location for Uptown Radio, so we sat in there until closing time with a radio on low volume monitoring our broadcasts before going back to the site at 11pm to retrieve the transmitter and cassette tape decks.

The Ballot Box, Horsenden Hill

The Eclipse

Located on Egham Hill this pub was used to monitor our Uptown Radio transmitter located nearby in the grounds of the Royal Holloway College.

The Eclipse, Egham Hill

The Bells of Ouseley

Located in Runnymede this pub was used to monitor the Uptown Radio transmissions from the Kennedy Memorial acre on nearby Runnymede Hill. It was probably the poshest venue we used and one of the few still in business today.

The Bells of Ouseley, Runnymede

The Milford Arms

The last one on the list, as the technical side of things, and indeed the operation of Uptown Radio was taken over by Dave, my colleague at Hounslow Borough College which was adjacent to this venue. Another pub which is still in business today, no doubt in part to the renamed West Thames College on London Road, Isleworth.

The Milford Arms, London Road, Isleworth

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