The Black Cat Bar. What Happened To It?

[Rimkok]

Does anybody remember The Black Cat Bar. I was in there about 18 years ago when on holiday. I am asuming it is long closed now. What was its location? At the time it was one of the most popular bars in Chiang Mai. Just interested as I had many a good afternoon and evening in there. Many thanks.

[Ulysses G.]

It probably closed shortly after when you visited it. My memory is not that good, but it seems to me that it was not around much longer. It was Cheers Pub for a long time, but that is long gone too. The De Naga Hotel owns it now and had a restaurant back there last time I looked a few years ago. They just opened a new restaurant in front of it on Moon Muang Road, but not sure of the name.

One of the former owners died a few months ago, but not sure what happened to his partners.

[Tywais]

If 18 years, then it had already closed down in 1994 as I remember it being 19 years ago. It was right next to John's Place on the soi just off Moon Muang. Actually Cheers Pub didn't stay open for that long. I went to the grand opening and would mosey over from John's place/Cozy Corner for a visit but don't remember it being around more than a couple or three years.

[MESmith]

After Cheers it was run by Dutch Marcel in 1999/ 2000 who previously ran the Inter Cafe (not Inter Bar on Thapae Rd). Later an Irish fella ran it as a restaurant/Irish pub. A strange location, as you couldn't see in as walking by, due to the narrow alley leading to the entrance.

[dave2]

re

They just opened a new restaurant in front of it on Moon Muang Road, but not sure of the name

here ya go : )

dave2

[Gonzo the Face]

The Black Cat.......now there s a name from the past.... long past...... Unless I am mistaken, that was one of Max's places....... [may he rest in peace]. My memory seems to be a bit foggy now, but I think I remember Max then went on to set up The Moon Gardens accross the moat from there down the little soi...

Brian H. [ may he rest in peace] opened The Cheers Bar where the Black Cat was . When Brian closed, I bought out all of his equipment and fixtures....... treasured among them were the gold mine collection of VHS videos and Music tapes..... some faulty towers stuff and music much the likes of Tina Turner in concert, when she was still with Ike.

Yes Marcel was there for a bit, then moved on to Pai...... where I last heard he was still.

Awwwwhhh the good old days

G

[Ulysses G.]

Isn't Brian H. still with us? I haven't seen him for years, but have gotten several emails that mentioned him being in town.

[Tywais]

Isn't Brian H. still with us? I haven't seen him for years, but have gotten several emails that mentioned him being in town.

Page of Rememberance

[Gonzo the Face]

Isn't Brian H. still with us? I haven't seen him for years, but have gotten several emails that mentioned him being in town.

From Ulysses G

Posted Today, 07:15

I always wondered why Brian was keeping such a low profile the last few years. I only knew that he was still around because of his newsletter.

RIP.

UG ???? I think you posted this in the Pof R thread the end of Dec 2011....

Maybe I'm wrong and both of us are going off the deep end

===============

[Ulysses G.]

Just getting old and forgetful.

[philw]

Tony was the other partner in BC and for a while there they had some pretty wild girls.

[philw]

Anybody recall Stuart of the Oasis ??

[Beetlejuice]

Isn't Brian H. still with us? I haven't seen him for years, but have gotten several emails that mentioned him being in town.

Page of Rememberance

I can remember Brian.

A really nice extremely social guy, always made to feel welcome by him and even if you never knew him, he would chat with you like a life long friend. Some how lost touch and did not know he had died. Sad to hear that.

I also remember the Black Cat bar, had some great times in there. I am like our Gonzo, getting old, lost track of time and my memory has faded. Did the BCB close about late 90s or maybe in between 2000 and 2001?

[Ulysses G.]

Anybody recall Stuart of the Oasis ??

Was he the fellow that had to have food sent to every day him by a pulley system outside the bar he owned where the new Tawa restaurant is now (see photo in dave2 post above) - something to do with his angry wife?

[philw]

Anybody recall Stuart of the Oasis ??

Was he the fellow that had to have food sent to every day him by a pulley system outside the bar he owned where the new Tawa restaurant is now (see photo in dave2 post above) - something to do with his angry wife?

yeah, that was part of it.

The original dragon lady.

She died a few years ago.

Stuart was a nice guy.

First was Karen hut and then Oasis i think.

Shortly after was lovebirds run by Alan Bailey, directly opposite TP gate, in a shophouse which is now a silk shop, Bailey then moved to where mad dogs is now.

[Ulysses G.]

Yes, Alan and the Overlander, I remember it well.

[Tywais]

Isn't Brian H. still with us? I haven't seen him for years, but have gotten several emails that mentioned him being in town.

Page of Rememberance

Did the BCB close about late 90s or maybe in between 2000 and 2001?

It was either late '93 or early '94 as I moved to Chiang Mai in Jan 93 and it was either shut or within a few months of shutting down.

[Ulysses G.]

That was back when the America Restaurant was at its zenith. Dave the Duke owned it, but ended up selling it and going back to the USA until he returned after many years and opened up the Duke's.

[wholetthedogout]

Spot light is still going after many years.

[Beetlejuice]

Isn't Brian H. still with us? I haven't seen him for years, but have gotten several emails that mentioned him being in town.

Page of Rememberance

Did the BCB close about late 90s or maybe in between 2000 and 2001?

It was either late '93 or early '94 as I moved to Chiang Mai in Jan 93 and it was either shut or within a few months of shutting down.

Thank you, Tywais.

My God, was it actually that long ago? I really have lost the plot and all sense of time.

They were a fantastic crowd back in those days, every night was party night for the lads in Chiang Mai. Sadly the whole scene seemed to have faded away and disappeared, but I have some wonderful fond memories, which I cherish and are priceless for me.

[Rimkok]

Thanks for all te informative replies. I had no idea it was next to John's Place. My memories there are vague. It was my first time in Chiang Mai and second in Thailand. Thinking back it was 92 or 93 and it was over the new year. I was in Chaing Mai for 5 days and in there everyday. There was not a lot of other good bars to choose from. I remember a guy who had a business taking people out in the jungle on treks and he was with his Thai wife and I remember a deaf bar girl working there. There was also a couch in the corner where some of the regulars would have a nap in between sessions. It was full of characters everyday I was in there. Maybe one of you that has posted on here was in there having a drink with me back then. Good memories for me too.

[WinnieTheKhwai]

It was either late '93 or early '94 as I moved to Chiang Mai in Jan 93 and it was either shut or within a few months of shutting down.

Thank you, Tywais.

My God, was it actually that long ago? I really have lost the plot and all sense of time.

They were a fantastic crowd back in those days, every night was party night for the lads in Chiang Mai. Sadly the whole scene seemed to have faded away and disappeared, but I have some wonderful fond memories, which I cherish and are priceless for me.

Depends what it is that'a fading/disappearing. You are choosing to fade away, but the fun is there just the same. It was just a lot smaller back then; there was a good chance you'd know everyone in the limited number of bars there were, or at least had a friend in common. It's a bit bigger now, but objectively no less fun.

So while anyone's personal circle of familiarity from those days may have faded, that doesn't mean that in another 20 years there will be people claiming that today's incredible scene has faded. (In particular the reggae area scene, but also LK, even.)

[Gonzo the Face]

Other points of nostalgia....... Wasn't there a guy named Tony involved in the American Restaurant..... later an English teacher , I think at Montfort. Used to stop by every so often, but haven't seen him for maybe 10 years or so.,.,... many times I think I recognize him riding down the street.

And the Domino's Bar with David West..... and the slab tables out front, at which we would sit and drink and sniff in all the exhaust fumes of the vehicles making the turn thru from the other side of the wall until they closed off that cut thru......many times I have sat out there drinking with the legendary ' Skipper " [may he rest in peace, and Abe, may he rest in peace } and then again there was Andy, [fall in the klong] Mao.... and yes boys ang girls, this was some time before the turn of the century.

Edited April 22, 2013 by Gonzo the Face

[Ulysses G.]

Tony is still around. He bought the America restaurant from Dave, but found that he prefered teaching . He is still teaching English somewhere in Chiang Mai.

The last I heard, David West was in Malaysia and his brother Martin passed away quite some time ago. They had the best English breakfast sausages that I have ever had in Thailand and that was when decent farang food was hard to come by here.

[shaun77]

Does anyone remember Peter out of Daniels bar i think.

I found him a really nice guy,i was surprised when he told me he was gay

because he was a handsome masculine looking guy who worked as a medic

in the UK before coming to Thailand,i heard he drank himself to death

[Gonzo the Face]

Does anyone remember Peter out of Daniels bar i think.

I found him a really nice guy,i was surprised when he told me he was gay

because he was a handsome masculine looking guy who worked as a medic

in the UK before coming to Thailand,i heard he drank himself to death

With all due respect........... remember Peter out of Daniels Bar....was gay..... drank himself to death..... could be said he petered out....

forgive me ,,,,, but was just too much to pass up......the devil made me do it

[anonymouse]

I'm sure I remember going to the Black Cat in 1996 but maybe I'm wrong, if I remember correctly you could watch the shower show in Johns place while sitting enjoying a cheaper beer in the Black Cat or whatever it was called back in 96

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Cheaper.. by a whole 10 baht perhaps?

[anonymouse]

Cheaper.. by a whole 10 baht perhaps?

Can't really remember a long time ago, cheaper than paying for lady drinks or less hassle than trying to constantly not pay for lady drinks , cheaper beer, a nicer place to hangout. I wasn't actively going out of the way to avoid paying 10 baht or whatever the cost was then just an observation.

[Ulysses G.]

Cheaper.. by a whole 10 baht perhaps?

10 baht back then bought a plate of pad Thai.