The Double Five cafe in King Street is remembered with affection by many and – although he may have only been 15 at the time – 54a King Street cafe owner Nigel Keep hears plenty about the Double Five from his customers.
Nigel doesn't remember it but his customers often talk about the Double Five. He said: "Everyone says it was always full and no-one has a bad word to say about it.
"It was the coffee shop of its day and the place to be and used to have pinball inside and people used to come on their motorbikes and scooters."
The Double Five wouldn't have offered the plethora of coffees available in cafes today but it certainly pulled in the customers. It was so popular, especially during the evenings – and there wasn't a drop of alcohol in sight.
Former Double Five customers Mary and John Finch along with Jerry Dawe, who used to work there, recently popped in to the 54a King Street cafe for a coffee and chat about old times.
All this talk of the good old days in Melton led Nigel to talk of another customer with his own 60s story to tell – Hickling musician Chris White.
Chris, along with two friends, is part of a band called The Jambusters which plays electro-acoustic versions of popular songs from the 60s to the present day and shares its fees between The Haywood House Hospice in Nottingham and Nottingham City Hospital's oncology department.
Chris had taken his son, Joe, to flute lessons at Mel-Tone in King Street, and was having a coffee and chatting to Nigel when they got round to talking about music and The Jambusters.
Nigel asked Chris if the band would like to play at the cafe as part of last month's classic car and bike meet which the band duly did, performing a vibrant set which was enjoyed by the crowds.
Nigel added: "The acoustics were brilliant. They had a speaker outside and did songs we all knew. It was a feel good night and everyone enjoyed it."
Chris also stars in local tribute band The Kinx which recently played at the world famous Cavern Club in Liverpool – home of The Beatles.
Lead vocalist Chris styles himself on the Kinks' Ray Davies and said the band had been recording and booking gigs for about a year
They got to perform at the Cavern as part of a series of fundraisers for Liverpool's Alder Hey Children's Hospital through bass player Ian Watts' contacts. Chris said: "It was our first prestige gig and was just an amazing experience to be at the centre of where I consider pop music started for real.
"It has to be the most famous club in the world. Just being there was amazing and we're going back sometime soon."
The Kinx performed a 45-minute set at the Cavern and got to meet Anfield star Jamie Carragher who was at the club to present a cheque.
The Kinx' full line-up is Chris White (lead vocals/guitar), Ian Cunningham (drums), Mark Samson (vocals/lead guitar) and Ian Watts (vocals/bass guitar). Apart from Chris, who lives in Hickling, the other three live in Nottinghamshire.
Since the Cavern date they have been booked to perform 60s shows with Liverpool legends Gerry and The Pacemakers and recently performed at a concert in aid of the charity Help for Heroes which supports British soldiers wounded in conflicts.
- For more information about the Kinx log on to www.thekinx.com and to book The Jambusters or for more information call Chris on 07791 625195.
