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Black Armband Day


Annette Curtain

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Great institutions of London that close their doors for the last time.


Today I wear a black armband for the majestic and much lauded...


Wong Kei in Wardour Street W1


http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/restaurants/rude-awakening-at-wong-kei-7431958.html


Doors closed on Friday


*quietly mops a tear*


I've been going here for 20 odd (and at times friggin mad) years. I'm genuinely heart broken, as this place has been a base line of comfort in this city


God blees ya !


Edited to ad link

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Ok mourning its loss aside (it WILL be back)


I've been eating here regularly since 1995 (I think) and through all my life changes since then, it's been an odd kind of joy, a constant.


If i'd been away when I was single, i'd return to London and eat here. It confirmed I was home. Nothing beat the anonymity of sitting on the ground level, eating and gazing at the passing human traffic. Tea & food along with the constant buzz of the place.



I also had some very odd, almost kafkaesque experiences in there.


One day, whilst eating alone, the pay phone on the wall above my table rang. It was the one on the mirrored wall, pre refurb 1 days


The waiter answered (leaning over the table) listened and grunted the same 'uhh' repetitively, he then put down the phone and walked briskly outside. He returned, took up centre position at the service counter and stared ahead, without any expression


The phone rang again, this time he was rather more animated "UHH..UHH..UHH" with a few added high speed barks down the phone. Again he hung up and this time, with another member of staff he sped outside. The thought that someone had gone without paying crossed my mind, but with the meat BBQ area by the door, I feared for their chances


Both returned, both stoney faced and I ate on. The phone rang yet again, the waiter answered, only this time it was like a mad scene from The Pink Panther. The waiter became flushed red and highly animated, barking further down the phone. Again hanging up and with other members of staff in tow leaving the building. Only to yet again return, place himself centre as before and hold it together


The tension was palpable, but nothing yet slipped through his stoney exterior. I was best positioned to watch the whole event unfolding and I was intrigued


What broke the silence was a black uniformed man walking into the front lobby area. Not a notable uniform, just plain black. It could have been a private security or a similar type, but as it turns out he was a fire officer.


"Who's the manager here?" he enquired


The animated but keeping it together waiter/manager looked and paused, but just as he went to speak, the uniformed man spoke again


"No matter, Ladies and gentlemen please gather your belongings together quietly and leave THIS BUILDING IS ON FIRE"


To which the waiter/manager replied "No is OK...FIRE ONLY UPSTAIR"


It was divine, I nearly choked laughing. We left and as I did so I offered up and was relieved of a fiver.


The fire brigade had by then pulled up & a scene from a movie ensued, all high tech gadgets and fire officers, remote water cannons and cameras taking over


I stood in awe as flames and smoke licked off the roof, even gulping a little of that smoke unwittingly. Choking but somehow smiling as I made good my escape from the chaos


It closed for over a year after that, but like the Pheonix it was reborn. Pinker, smarter and with some irony, staff sporting "UPSTAIRS-DOWNSTAIRS" Tiger sponsored t-shirts


Lets hope it comes back, all pimped and glam but still with the soul it's always possessed


"HOW MANY, UPSTAIR" will be music to my ears

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Wong Kei's was fun...but there's another closure up there that made me reminisce.


I found out today that the Trocadero is closing next week and re-opening as a Japanese pod hotel.


Admittedly, I thought it had closed years ago but have fond memories of hanging around there with friends a couple of decades ago and playing on the 'so cool' simulators and games etc.


My aunt crashed its opening VIP party and danced with Duran Duran and Wham... I had the commemorative signed postcard on my wall for years.

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