The Wine Lodge – The Yardbird Club

 

The Wine Lodge – The Yardbird Club

by Pete Clemons

The Wine Lodge - The Tally Ho - now the Philip Larkin

The Hotel Leofric was the place where, for decades, the good and the great of the entertainment world would stay. Of course it had many other visitors. But the Leofric was an important and well known feature at the heart of the city centre.

The hotel's main entrance was accessed from Broadgate. At the rear of the building, but still connected internally to the hotel, was the White Lion Pub. The White Lion did have its own entrance and this was via Smithford Way.

The Leofric wasn't exclusively a hotel though. For several years, during the early to mid 1960s, it was the hub for two jazz major clubs. Both of these clubs were held on Sunday evenings. The Warwickshire Society of Jazz Music (WSJM) held their gigs upstairs in what was known as the Windsor Room. While downstairs in the Grosvenor Room The White Lion Jazz Club held its club nights. For a while, gigs held at The White Lion were billed as 'The Best in British Jazz'.

During this period Ronnie Scott appeared at The White Lion several times. To the point where I suspect he, and his business partner Pete King, may have had an organisational involvement with The White Lion Club. But I may have read to much into that. There is, though, clear evidence that Ronnie and Pete did have a 'branch' in Coventry.

It began when, suddenly and during the early part of 1962, The White Lion Jazz Club changed venues. An announcement appeared in the local press. It read: 'Best in British Jazz' - Will all members, and Modern Jazz Fans, please note that our concerts will now be held every Sunday upstairs at The Wine Lodge'.

Ronnie Scott had, by now, established several 'branch' clubs up and down the country. Already in the Midlands were 'branch' clubs in both Leicester and Birmingham (this was several decades before Ronnie opened his club on Broad Street in the early 1990s). And a branch venue was established at The Wine Lodge by Ronnie Scott and Pete King.

The Wine Lodge was soon being billed as 'the only club in Coventry to play top modern jazz stars such as Tubby Hayes, Ronnie Ross on his saxophone, Jimmy Skidmore and more'. Even well known overseas jazz musicians such as Americas top tenor saxophonist star John ‘Zoot’ Sims appeared there. And Zoot was not the last. He was succeeded by many others. These particularly included many saxophonists whom both Ronnie Scott and Pete King (who were both tenor saxophonists themselves) greatly admired.

It has to be said that all this was at a time well before the, now, world famous Ronnie Scott Jazz Club operated from its current site. Scott's initial base was at Gerrard Street, London and moved to Frith Street in 1965.

The Wine Lodge, of course, was situated on the corner of The Burges and Corporation Street. Just a couple of hundred yards down from The Hotel Leofric. And this new Coventry club became known as The Yardbird Club.

The move to the Wine Lodge meant it freed up the Leofric Hotel's Grosvenor Room. This was immediately filled by The Warwickshire Society of Jazz Music (WSJM) who now occupied both rooms at the Leofric Hotel. It was then that the WSJM then began their simultaneous evenings of both traditional and modern jazz events.

The Yardbird Club remained at The Wine Lodge for around three years or so before moving on to The Mercers Arms. Again, Ronnie Scott was involved by being on hand to perform with his band at the opening night of the 'new Yardbird Club'.

As for The Wine Lodge, towards the mid 1960s, up and coming beat groups had taken over the venue. Bands like The Sorrows, The Pines, The Beat Preachers all appeared there. In fact The Vampires had had a residency there as early as 1962.

After its hey day as a jazz venue The Wine Lodge went through a series of name changes. These included the pub being called The Tally Ho and The Tudor Rose. Today it is known as The Philip Larkin.