The Cat's Whisker was a coffee bar situated at 1Kingly Street,Soho, London, during the mid-late 1950s. The venue was a hub of excitement for London's young people, offering a vibrant mix of Spanish dancing, live rock 'n roll, and skiffle music.[1]
It saw the invention of a new style of 'dancing' known ashand-jive, a complicated pattern of hand gestures only, and claps at various parts of the body, as there was no space to maneuver in the crowded basement.[2] The venue was closed in 1958, owing to overcrowding.
The Cat's Whisker coffee bar was started by entrepreneurPeter Evans, and was one of the first to have ajukebox. It was located in the middle of Soho at the corner ofKingly Street andBeak Street, betweenCarnaby Street andRegent Street, around the corner from the toy storeHamleys. It attracted large crowds, including ice skating champions, international rugby players, journalists and students, forespresso (priced at ashilling per cup) and music.[3] The venue was situated in the heart oftheatreland, and catered for diners before or after the theatre.
In 1956, Evans hired Hank Huffner[4] to refurbish the bar's cellar as an exclusive 'live' venue. The L-shaped cellar had primitive paintings of cats chasing mice on the walls and six stone cats as light-sources round the walls. The basement was exclusive, there being no indication of its existence on the ground floor.
At first, the cellar had the feel of "Hernando's Hideaway", with regular performances from guitarist Jose Feller and dancer Carmen Ballisteras, formerly with the Ballet Espagnol de Pilar Lopez.
Together withThe 2i's Coffee Bar, The Cat's Whisker[5] later spearheaded the nascent pop scene, with appearances by 'before-they-were-famous' musicians likeCliff Richard,Lonnie Donegan,Terry Dene,Tommy Steele, guitarist Barry Warren, theChas McDevitt Skiffle Group[1] and other artists who dropped by to unwind after working the nearby nightspots Churchill's,the Bag O'Nails, Coconut Grove, Cabaret and Eve. Like Feller and Ballisteras, the musicians were generally "paid with coffee andCokes".[6]
Freelance photographerKen Russell,[7] in his pre-film director days, captured the 'energy and excitement' of this night life in Soho forPicture Post and these atmospheric images resurfaced in theSoho Nights exhibition by ThePhotographers' Gallery, London, December 2008 – February 2009. Russell recalls: "I remember the atmosphere was very jolly. So I made a number of visits to the Cat's Whisker. Cliff Richard used to appear there. I used to join in the hand-jiving."[8]
When the police closed down The Cat's Whisker because of overcrowding in 1958, Evans opened the first of theAngus Steak Houses at this venue, before later starting the London-based David Hicks–decorated restaurant chain that bore his own name, Peter Evans Eating Houses,[9] and the upmarket Raffles night club inKing's Road, Chelsea.[10]
As of 2009, The Cat's Whisker had been replaced by the Korean restaurant Myung Ga.
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