Bentleys/Budds Bar on Brunswick Street in Stockton. c1985 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
Bentleys/Budds Bar on Brunswick Street in Stockton. c1985
I worked on the door at the Incognito late 1974, great people worked there and miss those people if anybody wants to get in touch
I remember Flo the manageress who ran the Incog in the 70s lovely lady.
The accident resulting in the death of Robbie Oliver happened in Newquay not Whitby, a very sad loss.
Just seen this post remember Robbie we’ll he was a lovely lad is this Glenn Hutchinson from Roseworth?
I worked in Cognito 1974 with Ellen Smith who passed away quite a few years ago and Ruth who was a waitress but did do music. I think the DJ was Mike, or smoothie Mike as we called him sometimes – all good fun. Then if you could get away with it we would sneak round Titos for an hour or two Flo Brown managed the Cog for Laurie Pig.
Rob Oliver did jump over a wall in Whitby for the sake of a block of Lurpak.
remember flo so well she was a tough cookey but really nice too
Yes, you are correct. I worked for John Smith owner of the clubs but many years forward i.e Talk of the Tyne i.e Round House Gateshead.
Don’t forget he had Stan Henry as a partner, I used to work at the club and he used to rule with a rod of iron!
Hi Micheal by any chance have you still kept in touch with John? he’s a family I’m trying to get in touch with him
Does anyone remember superstars nightclub gas explosion, Prince Regent Street? I believe it became peppermint park. I was still a teen then.
My mam Angela was in that explosion at Peppermint Park. It was owned by Les de Sousa. We had the newspaper cutting at the time mam was in the pictures with Mr Grabham .. Would love to find it in gazette archives.
Buddys bar started in 1981 first dj was funky nige, then I took over in late 1982 until 1986. Before Buddys bar it was a casino, other clubs in Stockton from 1975 to 1986 were Titos/Bentleys – buddys bar. Green/Electric Onion under the Swallow Hotel, Birds Nest, Inn Cognito. (which then changed names several times never getting the rep that inn cog had.) The Kirk, The Keys, Yarmm. Harveys 1 by the Swallow – Harveys 2 in Bath rd, two under 18 clubs, Corporation hall and Prince Regent st.and another in Brunswick st. Pharoahs/Bates bar.?
Bentleys and Buddys were the best clubs I ever worked at , I salute every one who made those days the best ever.
other clubs I played :
Pharoahs,Refexions (old Inn Cog,Mandys/Blazers,Bennetts,Harveys,Macmillians. The Mall. Lucindas, the Kirk. top deck .Madison.Gaskins & various others in Darlington. Newcastle and around the uk.
I forgot about the boat on the river.
Buddy’s bar actually opened in August 1979
Hi Steve, I’m pretty sure it was 1982 that Buddys opened up, I remember it getting a refurb but it could have been 1981. Paul Cotes was the Bentleys dj `always played easy` by the Commodores for last dance. I had some great times there` RIP Unca Sing, he was a great doorlad. I worked on door from 1981 to 1988` I was at times allowed to do a few nights on the door at topkapi clubs, the music was a lot better then. I also worked on the boat in 1981 with Paul Owens and 21 club with Gary Jordon, Jimmy Wilson and John Duggan. Harveys Bridge Road with Andy Winder` RIP and even Corporation Hall 1980. I won my first bodybuilding show in Bentleys 1982` December.
Bentleys was the place to go, ‘House of Bamboo’ was also played a lot then, good memories
I loved Bentleys used to go Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Fantastic memories of a great place. The music was amazing danced all night. I remember Steve the DJ, you were fab x
I seem to remember seeing Glen Campbell here around 1968/69/70 – can anyone verify that for me please?
Robbie Olivers ashes are in the graveyard at Norton, he was cremated in Newquay. I went to the cremation with Stew walker Danny Smith Robbies two brothers and a load more names I can’t remember, Robbie was a very popular bloke.
Robbie Oliver lost his life after a fall in Newquay. He was on holiday with a gang of friends when the accident happened, Robbie is buried in St Marys churchyard on Norton Green.
Re Robbie Oliver – I believe it was Whitby where tragedy happened.
I remember Robbie Oliver, his death was so tragic. I heard that a group of the lads had gone to Newquay and he’d pinched a pack of butter and jumped over a wall which had about a 100 ft drop on the other side. As far as I can remember he’s buried at the big church at Norton Green. He was a hearthrob and all the girls loved him, I remember Danny Smith as well, he worked at the Evening Gazette – was bonkers over him ha!
Anyone remember John Goodhead, also known as Tito John, who worked as head waiter at Tito’s in the 60’s?
I remember John, I worked at Titos and the Showboat in Boro with him, nice bloke
I worked at Bentleys 1978-1979. I remember you Tony Capri, we had some good times working here didn”t we? Javed was the manager back in those days & Terry Hammond was the assistant manager. I remember the chef was Called Wayne he was a character. Oh! Happy days.
I used to work at Tito”s as a go go dancer in the late 60″s early 70″s. The DJ was Dennis the mennis from Middlesbrough. I also danced at a famous local boxers wedding at Tito”s.
My sister Barbra used to be a Go Go dancer think it was about 1974
Inn Cognito was the best place to be in the 70″s. My son who is 18 is ecstatic over my record collection from those days. I remember you Tony Capri (who doesn”t) especially the crocheted tank tops!
Incognito”s DJ in 1972 was Carl Dalton. The owner was Laurie Pigg.
Can anyone tell me, what was the room on the left called as you went in at top of the stairs? And what was the name of the room on the lefthand side in the incog? Thanks.
I am original Tony Capri from Bentleys, still meet a lot of couples that met on a night out in the club. great times has anyone any photos love to see them.
Hi Tony, Gerry Forsythe here (aka: with you as Gerry Jackson) some great times working at Bentleys, especially the Tuesday ladies night, now living in Sydney, Australia, still have all the LP’s we used to spin, some great times with Javad.
Names I remember, Bernie Salmon, Terry Salmon, Keieller Bradshaw and old friend Billy Hartford (in the days of CB Radio he was known as Eggman) who passed away a few years ago, still miss him today. Love Australia, best thing I ever did was come here, my family still live in Stockton, my brothers and sisters (John, Trudy, Janet, Dickie), hope you are well – will never forget the great club life of Stockton in the early 80’s and my old friend Tony Capri.
Gerry how could I ever forget you. We had some great times… funnily enough I was in Sainsburys in Whitehouse Farm and a woman came up to me and said, ‘You are Tony Capri aren’t you?’, I said ‘yes’, she was one of your ex’s! lol. Great to hear you are doing well… if you are on facebook, add me. Tony Wright Capri. I’d love to catch up with you.
Just found your blog. I grew up with Billy, sorry to hear he passed away. Lost touch with him after moved to Leeds what happened in his life. He was one crazy lad in those days. Bentleys was the best and Toni’s music helped me meet some great girls including Liz Gibson and her sister. My claim to fame was being thrown out by Javad after putting my fist through a stud wall after an argument with said Liz. Toni, never fancied a Bentleys re-union. I would definitely attend.
To Mick Ash. I do remember a waitress called Beryl,ask if she remembers Brenda,who was head waitress or a very attractive girl called Yvonne whos real name was Maud
Geoff – do you remember my Mum by any chance?
many a great nite in bentleys years ago,my brother was the original FUNKY NIGE from stockton! anyone remember him??? plus tony capri and paul residents and stevie dj at buddies bar
Funky Nige! Yes I remember him, he used to do body popping near Woolworths as well. Who was his pal again?
Deker Reeney used to do the body popping with a ghetto blaster in Stockton High Street, I remember hanging out outside the old HMV near to where barclays is now. Last I heard Deker was a stay at home daddy
I think he did body popping with the twins…Clemens I think they were called….
I think your mum means Len Greene,he was the manager while I worked there until 1968.
The Incognito was in a new building located above what was Grahams Gents Clothiers and if my memory serves me well a caravan showroom. At the Yarm Lane front of the building there was a coffee shop which later became Pickfords Travel. I still have my original Incognito membership card from 1972/73. It has R1 handwritten on the reverse to denote that I had been given tickets for the Radio 1 Roadshow that visited The Incognito in 1972. The DeeJay who resided at the club was called Ruth Devereaux, an extremely attractive Stockton girl with a great sense of music.
“Incognitos” Nightclub was situtated in Prince Regent”s Street, next to the Corporation Hall.
Did this not become “Incognitos” around 1972?
Just spoke to my Mum – she worked on the Long Bar then the American Bar. Len Hale was the Manager at the time…
My Mum also worked in Tito”s from about 67-70…Beryl Buchan (now Beryl Ash) – I used to be fascinated as she used to tell me about all the stars that used to go there – The Walker Brothers, Showaddywaddy and most importantly all of the Boro players!!
Worked at Tito”s for two years 66″68. Fantastic club, great staff, fabulous parties,I worked in the cocktail bar and I also worked the spotlights for the cabaret.
Omg it’s amazing hearing people talk about tito,s I loved it. Me abd my friend used to hitchhike there from boro great times saw jimmy Ruffin
Tito”s February 5th 1970 – my bachelor”s night along with many old friends including the infamous John Robson who saved me from being arrested outside Tito”s for being “wobbly” in possesion of a hamburger – from the stall outside the nightclub. Married the next day and will never forget the many nights all the lads spent in Titos over the years it was open. A regular Friday night haunt and does anybody remember the “free” suppers on a Sunday night. Happy days!
Had my Hen Party in Tito”s in 1978, it was still known as Tito”s then. What a night !!!!
I remember Titos well and the ladies night and Robbie Oliver. Maybe lm wrong but thought it was Newquay about 1974? l could be wrong.
yes i remember good old titos back in the late 60″s – it was a great place to go and there were some good turns on then. if you went on a tuesday which was ladies night you did”t have to pay – these were the days when lads asked you if you wanted to dance and the last dance was always a panic in case you got left out. i remember robbie oliver being the lad to be with but unfortunately he died in torquay in about 1972 tragically.
Brunswick Street in 1985. Before it was Buddys Bar. I believe it was club Titos owned by the Bailey organisation in the 60s and 70s many famous acts appeared .Tony Hancock, Tom Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Englebert Humperdink to name only a few. I worked opposite the club at the Evening Gazette Office and remember many famours stars arriving at the club. My wife Dorothy worked only 50 yards away and that is how we met. We have been married for 35 years.
Alan, you mention Jerry Lee Lewis, Me and a pal saw JLL 14 times that week, Tito’s at 9pm and Marimba in the Boro at 11pm, then a long walk home to Stockton or a taxi if we had any money left.