The Ten Bells

[AdamWalsh]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/B-Barnett-Painting-WWII-Jack-the-Ripper-Ten-Bells-1944_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQ_trksidZp3286Q2ec0Q2em14QQhashZitem3ef6e0c53eQQitemZ270429898046QQptZArtQ5fPaintingsQQsalenotsupported

[ken]

I feel i may have been misunderstood somewhat in my previous post. I wasn't in anyway suggesting that the Bells should return to the theme pub it was when named Jack The Ripper in the 70's, the beef i had was that the pub is now purposefully ignoring it's local history and speaking as someone who is in the age bracket that this current landlord is aiming at i personally would not be offended with a lick of paint and a bit of pride in a Pub that, judging by this forum, is of interest to a lot of people. He's basically walked up and down Hoxton Sq and Old street and noticed that the most 'cool' pubs have stripped everything out and gone for this 'taxi rank look' then applied this to the Bells. But he's clearly doing Ok i hear you say but like i said before i don't think the interior matters to most people. You only have walk 50 meters up the road to the White Hart which is as beautifully kept as it has always been and full of the same crowd that booze in the Bells

[Cubitt]

Yes, it felt like a darkly comic moment, even at the time. I think it's the standing on top of a shoe, on one foot through out that did it.

Needless to say, the tainted sock was immediately binned (sockrificed?).

[John Bennett]

Cubitt,

What a terrific story (though it may not have seemed like it at the time). Straight out of 'One Foot In The Grave' or 'Mr.Bean'.

Looking back now I'm mystified why I didn't just find somewhere else that was cleaner!

Like Itchy Park!

[Cubitt]

First post in a while.

I last went to the Ten Bells in summer 2008. I'd cycled there from where I live in SE London and had arranged to meet friends in the Ten Bells. I'd decided to change out of my cycling gear and into my normal clothes in the loos.

For some reason I still went ahead with this, even after I'd seen the state of the gents cubicle. I remember having to cram all my clothing on top of the tiny sink and balancing myself on one shoe as I got changed (as the loo had no seat and the floor was swimming in p*ss). Looking back now I'm mystified why I didn't just find somewhere else that was cleaner! I also remember my dismay as I was almost successfully changed (still teetering on one shoe) when I ended up dropping my sock on the floor and watched it as it quickly absorbed all the liquid sloshing about.

[WARSPITE]

[QUOTE=John Bennett;93824]Hi Jenny,

the current management/staff have little or no interest in that side of its history and the pub has been stripped of all the paraphenalia in an effort to transform it into the sort of boozer that appeals to the trendy, arty crowd that now flock into the area (whether they actually live in the area or not). It has been 'rediscovered'.

I suppose they can now afford to weed out the Ripper tourists as it's busy enough already. 20 (or even 10) years ago it wasn't the case.

John,youre spot on as always.
I suppose Im a little grateful that during its rediscovery they havent gutted the place, including the tiled walls, and fittings etc, and covered it with hideous chic urban paraphenalia to attract the new inhabitants. But youve nailed it when you say they can now obviously afford to reject ripperology now, a situation that perhaps the landlords of the 70s/80s couldnt contemplate. My guess is they wouldnt have wanted to anyway, and that,despite the controversial things that happened in the mid1980s, the landlords still appreciated the pubs undeniable links(whether myth or not) with history.
I agree with you John, that I dont think a return of all the paraphernalia is necessary. But the owners could still ensure their staff respected the history of the place, and respected and welcomed customers interested in its history.
When I have enough money to buy the place, Im havin a big party and youre all invited.
Pete

[j.r-ahde]

Hello Jenni L!

Your talks remind me of spring 2007, visiting The Ten Bells in London!

When I was wondering, if I could take some photos, the bartender said: "Nevermind, we have got used to this!" Of course meaning the Ripper touristis...

A bit later some person told on these boards, that the staff was angry about taking photos in The Ten Bells. If I remember correctly, the owner had changed and the policy with him...

All the best
Jukka

[JennyL]

"There were five people behind the bar - do you think anybody noticed me waiting? No! They were too busy doing a little dance to the incredibly loud music."

That sounds exactly like what we have much too much of in certain popular Hollywood clubs. Of course it figures that rude bartenders with attitude are everywhere. I've passed as a "cool artist" sort but I'm sure I'm not the type they'd jump to take an order from. At least now whenever I do visit I'm forewarned!

-Jenny (yet another glutton for punishment if the inducements are right)

[John Bennett]

Here I go again.

I popped in there yesterday at about 6pm for a quick half before my tour. It was quite busy but getting to the bar was easy enough and I was the only person who needed serving.

There were five people behind the bar - do you think anybody noticed me waiting? No! They were too busy doing a little dance to the incredibly loud music.

Thankfully one chap did notice me eventually.

I can't help going back, I must be getting addicted to the feeling of being slightly annoyed. I'm going again later!

Yours truly
Glutton for Punishment.

[Archaic]

Grotty!

Hey, John, you spoke of the Ten Bells having "grotty surroundings" - wasn't that a 'Swinging London' slang term popularized by The Beatles?

George called something 'dead grotty' in one of their first films, 'A Hard Day's Night' I think. (It meant 'ugly or groteseque', the opposite of 'gear')

>>OK, John, rant all you want now; you're cool in my book!!

Beatles 4 Ever, Archaic

[John Bennett]

I thought that was Noel Edmonds, John.

I must admit, the likeness is rather scary. Scarier than the ghost stories in the article, come to that.

[Rob Clack]

I thought that was Noel Edmonds, John.

[John Bennett]

Enough of my ranting. Here's an account of the haunted 'Jack the Ripper' pub from August 1975.


Interesting what people want to believe. Sandra may have been a Chapman from an old East End family, but I'm sure she didn't realise that Annie Chapman was originally a Smith from West End!

[John Bennett]

..he went over to the landlord, who was sat at the other side of the pub, repeated my question and was told (i could hear due to the place was pretty much empty) to tell me to "f**k Off".

I have to say that's probably the most extreme reaction I've heard! Perhaps he'd had a bad day.

I'd have to disagree on one point there, Ken (though it's just an opinion):

..The students that go in there would not be bothered in the least if he gave the place a bit of a clean, put some nice furniture back in and stuck the ripper info back up.

I certainly think you're right to assume that the folk that go there now would not be concerned about a bit of a spring clean and a furniture rethink. However, I reckon there would be a bit of a grumble if the Ripper stuff went up again. History or not, it is still 'ghastly murder' of a horrible nature.

However, the problem here is the outright rejection of that history. I don't personally believe that putting Ripper memorabilia back up (least of all the victims boards) would be doing anybody a favour these days.
I do notice people getting a bit miffed when they discover that the pub is no longer promoting its dubious past; sometimes to the point where you think that they feel they have some ownership or say because it's their 'beloved' Ten Bells.

But it's all a bit like people who move near to Heathrow and then complain about noise created by the new runways etc. Well what do you expect, it's a bloody airport! The Ten Bells has a world famous history - there's no getting away from it. If you're going to manage the pub, it's something you're going to be confronted with on a regular basis. It may not be necessary to embrace that history to the extent they did in the 1970s, but the owners should at least understand that it is part-and-parcel of the package. It's strange to think that they are arrogant enough to believe that they can do some Orwellian erasure of history.

They may not need to 'big up' the Ripper, but hey can at least be nice to the punters who are even in the slightest bit interested.

[ken]

I would like the add to the rant of Mr B, Re. The Ten Bells

My Rant

I'm in my early 30's and happen to be interested in JTR which would in no way compute with the current landlord of the Bells.

It must have been about 4 or 5 years ago when i went in the Bells and wondered why the victims plaque on the outside had been removed after all the stuff by the mosaic had also been withdrawn. There was hardly anyone in the pub so i asked one of the bar staff about this, he went over to the landlord, who was sat at the other side of the pub, repeated my question and was told (i could hear due to the place was pretty much empty) to tell me to "f**k Off". The barman who was roughly my age came back to me and sheepishly asked me if i'd heard his boss's response.

I strongly believe that if a pub (or an area) is in vogue young people will drink there no matter how much Ripper info is on the walls or the state of the pub itself. The landlord is a fool because what he has done is turn a beautiful pub in great area into a shitty youth club due to his neglect/lack of interest.

Catering to what you think young people may like is always dead end i reckon. The students that go in there would not be bothered in the least if he gave the place a bit of a clean, put some nice furniture back in and stuck the ripper info back up.