Last photo taken of friends meeting last summer outside the 77
I first visited the '77' Wine Bar in West Hampstead in 1988. It was difficult to miss. I had just bought the flat at '83' next door. We were to be neighbours until I left for New Zealand in 2003.
Getting to know your neighbours well is admirable and I lost few opportunities to do so with the inhabitants of No 77. I celebrated many birthdays, anniversaries, New Year celebrations there. In 1990, I met a girl called Jacqui. 18 years on and we are a married item. It was that type of neighbourhood bar.
So it was with much sorrow that I learnt today, last night was to be the '77' finale. It has closed to become, wait for it, an estate agent's office!
When I travel to London, one of the bright spots has always been the thought of catching up with the 77 regulars who still go there. Something that has been important in my life will be missing when I visit the UK in two weeks time.
1 comment:
live on mill lane and will miss this a bit, so as I gather the council asked them to move the toilets downstairs and remove the stairwell - its a real shame - the service here was never great but it did have some character - we really dont need another estate agent here, hopefully that doesnt work out!
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