has anyone ever been in the Crystal Halls banqueting place on Perry Vale?

At the SE23 mums (and dads) to be meet up the other week, someone told me that their mum had seen the Rolling Stones perform there, way back when.

It seems like a pretty dull wedding reception venue now - does anyone know any other interesting stories about it's past?

That would be the Glenlyn. According to Mel Wright, in his book Rock Around Lewisham (1990) not only the Stones performed there (in Summer 1963) but also The Animals, Yardbirds, The Moody Blues, The Birds, The Kinks and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers with Eric Clapton (whom I saw there in the mid-1960s). The Detours also played there before they changed their name to The Who,

On the back of 'Quadraphenia' The Who gave a thankyou to their Forest Hill fans.

i remember seeng Cilla Black there in the sixties, it was really a bit of a dive! aound the same time there used to be a really funky coffee bar with swiss chalet style decor next to the HOB where Thai Orchard is now - it all seemed
very glamourous can anybody remember the name of the Coffee Bar?
after becoming the Glenlyn for a while it was a very seedy Bingo Hall and then i think a snooker hall, i have no idea who owns it but its really quite large inside

thanks everyone so far. fascinating stuff. Who would have thought all those great bands in Perry Vale. Big sigh.

Dylan,

The Alpine.

thanks Sherwood it was the Alpine! can you remember nything else
about Forest Hill during that era? i recall the David's Road toilets
were a delight polished Brass and an elderly lady in full time attendance plus a tea stall outside the HOB