Hastings Forum

I WORKED AT BOTH PUBS FOR TONY AND TRACEY.IS THE LORD NELSON CLOSED? I LIVE IN THE US NOW.

Still going strong, different landlord at the Nellie..Tony I believe is dead, do not know what happened to his spouse..

I saw Tracey about a year ago down the fishmarket.

The Nelly is not the pub it used to be. Tony and Tracey did a cracking good job when they were there

Hi Jenny, I used to be a fixture in the Nellie in the 70s and was also around when Tony took over the Carlisle, so you've probably served me with a few hundred pints. Yes the Nelson isn't what it used to be. Many of Tony's customers followed him to the much more spacious Carlisle and stayed there. These days the people who would naturally have used the Nellie (bikers, hippies, etc.) tend to drink in the Carlisle, but even that isn't what it used to be as more and more people shift to the Marina Fountain in West St Leonards. The fishermen still use the pub, but the Standard seems to be more popular now. Funny how things work out.

By the way if you have any old photos of the Nellie crowd in the 70s or the early days of the Carlisle and especially of the Late, Great Shipley himself, there's a zillion people who'd love to see them on here.

I'm not sure of the whole story, but as I understand it Tony had an operation on his leg and there were complications. As a result, he lost the leg. The Nelson's customers had a whip round and bought him a parrot! Sadly, Tony died shortly after. As I've said many times, it's an enormous tribute to the man that even today the people who had the privilage of knowing him speak of him with such deep affection. He is a local legend, There will never be another Shipley.

I don't know where Tracey is these days, but I'm told she still lives in the old town somewhere and their son Mark still pops into the Nellie ocassionally, but I don't know him.

This is the Nelson in June 2010. At times this place was so full of people, you could barely move. Sadly, I don't have any old photos.

The Gent's is now at this end of the pub, adjacent to the Ladies.

[img://www.hastingsforum.co.uk/forums/sf_attachments/The_Nelson_June_2010.jpg]

The Juke Box was always a legend. Some of my Favourite friday night in the Nelly tracks:

Lowell George_ _ _.What do you want
Stones_ _ __ _ __ _ _Tumbling Dice
Lynnyrd_ _ __ _ _..Free Bird.
Who_ _ __ _ _.I can see for Miles
Jefferson Airplane_ _ _..White Rabbit
Etc
Etc.

Ican add to that:

Bob Seeger - Turn the Page
Otis Redding - Dock of the bay
REM - Losing My Religion
America - Sandman and Horse With No Name
Pink Floyd - Another Brick in the Wall and Free Four
Fleetwood Mac - Sarah (that record always used to get stuck)
The Stones - Angie
Elkie Brooks - Lilac wine
Neil Young - Hey Hey My My (Out of The Bue/Into The Black) and Like a Hurricane.
Bob Dylan - Knockin on Heaven's Door and Rainy Day women # 12 and 35
Eric Clapton - Layla

I also remember the late John Martyn, who lived in the old town and was a pub regular, sitting on one of those mighty wooden tables playing his guitar and singing before he became famous.

Other famous names seen there include Lemmy (Hawkwind and Motorhead) and the late Stevie Marriot. I'm sure there were many others, but memory fails.

Mmmm_ _ _nice choices Terry.

Layla in particular brings back the feeling of the early 70's. Great people, parties and a fantastic time in my teens.

Layla or it's B side "Bell Bottom Blues" was always on the juke box in the Fiesta where we would always meet before a gig on the pier.

I remember John Martyn although I never knew him personally, notoriously unreliable but a great musician_ _ _..Quite a few other local musicians did quite well for themselves in those days, not so sure the local scene is quite as strong,,,,but I'm not up to date with the local bands anymore so I could be wrong.

Scuse my ignorance. But where was the Fiesta ?

The Fiesta was a coffee bar opposite French's at the east end of Trinity Street. It later became Trader Jack's pub. I'm not sure what it is or what it's called now.