Qype User (Templa…)
Yelp
This place is a legend and not only to the biking community. (you can walk there or go by car). A coffee and greasy spoon time establishment of the old school type..it is an experience!
The Ace Cafe was built in 1938 as a roadside cafe to cater
for traffic, particularly hauliers, using the new
North Circular Road,open 24 hours,
the Ace Cafe soon attracted motorcyclists.
In world war two, the building was badly damaged during an
air raid on the adjacent railway marshalling yards The Ace Cafe was reopened in temporary accommodation and subsequently rebuilt in 1949.
The post-war increase in road traffic and advent of the teenage phenomena saw the Ace booming, and with it, the arrival of the Ton-Up-Boys. The British motorcycle industry was at its peak, and along came Rock n Roll. Not played on radio stations, initially the only place it could be heard was at fairgrounds or on jukeboxes at transport cafes.It became the place to meet, have a meal or cup of tea,arrange runs (often to other cafes or the coast) or simply to mend your bike.People came to listen to the jukebox, many subsequently starting bands or clubs. Some gaining success and considerable reputation.
The Ace Cafe, with its combination of motorbikes, speed and Rock n Roll was the launchpad for many famous racers and the birthplace for many bands.Johnny Kidd and the Pirates for example.
The riders who met at the Ace had their own sets of rules and codes, neither understood nor recognized by outsiders. Their wild and martial appearance didn't fit within conventional norms. Their racing, their music and the very distinctive way of expressing themselves frightened polite society and sensational press articles fanned the hysteria for all they could. Government officials often discussed counter-measures to be taken against these youths now known as Rockers.
The cafe played a leading role in the 1963 Sidney Furie film THE LEATHER BOYS, which starred Rita Tushingham, Colin Campbell and Dudley Sutton, utilising many of the cafe's patrons as 'extras'. Shooting scenes at the Ace Cafe, Furie, eager to achieve realism, took advice from the local riders. You'd never find an Ace boy wearing them jeans he was told one morning. Furie's direction and strong performances combined to make The Leather Boys one of the great British films of the sixties.
Rita Tushingham, Colin Campbell, Dudley Sutton, and author of the novel, The Leather Boys, Gillian Freeman, were all present for the Grand Reopening in September 2001.
The expansion of the motorway network saw the Ace Cafe serving
its last egg and chips in 1969.
To mark the 25th anniversary of the cafe's closure, Mark, with friends, formed the organising team for the Reunion and arranged for motorcycle runs to converge at the former Ace Cafe site on Sunday 4th September 1994.It was estimated that over 12000 people gathered at the old cafe site. A film was made, entitled An Ace Day, the official Ace Cafe Reunion video.With its Rock n Roll soundtrack it has received worldwide critical acclaim.
Finally, after a complete rebuild, September 2001 saw the Grand Opening of the famous bikers haunt.
The Ace Cafe is back and is here to stay! Bikes, history, photographs and other related memorabilia and a football table.
Opening Hours:
7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Monday to Saturday)
7 a.m. to 10.30 p.m. (Sundays & Bank Holidays)
7 a.m. to 2 a.m. (When operating as Nightclub)
Ace Cafe London is a unique venue
Facilities are available to cater for film and photo shoots, product launches, small conferences, presentations, business breakfast meets, weddings and other special occasions and celebrations.
For a slice of history it has to be done.
