The Legendary Ace Café

A cup of tea, a screech of tyres and a slice of British youth culture, as Nude revs on up to the legendary Ace café.

Of all of the numerous biker haunts around the country, the Ace café is the one which is surrounded by the strongest aura of lore and legend. Known by bikers the worlds over, the Ace started life in 1938 as a nondescript transport café on what was then the new North circular road. After being damaged by bombs in the second world war, it re-opened in 1949, with state of the art neon signage, and quickly established itself as a magnet for a newly emergent British youth cult, known alternately as Ton-Up boys, Coffee bar cowboys and latterly, Rockers.

The Ton-Up boy emerged alongside the Teddy boy, as a product of a new post-war affluence, and both groups shared a taste for American rock and roll and nihilistic rebellion. But, unlike the Teddy boy, the Ton up boy was a uniquely British variation on the American original. For a start, Marlon Brando and his gang in the Wild one rode Harleys, whilst our own coffee bar cowboys rode Nortons and Triumphs, and wore distinctive stadium Mark 1 racing goggles, amongst other distinguishing accessories.

It was as a hub for these new leather-clad folk devils, who lived for noise and speed, that the Ace often found itself name checked in various tabloid newspaper stories, documenting the excesses of this new 'live fast, die young,' generation of young working class males. This created a predictable moral panic, and it must be said that death through reckless driving was common, giving rise to such tales as that of the headless motorcyclist, which told of Ton-Up boys decapitated by low bridges or road signs, who just kept on riding before eventually coming to a halt in a ditch or a field. Indeed, a notorious pastime at the Ace was to time a burn-up by spinning a record on the jukebox. As soon as the coin was dropped in the slot, you kick-started your bike and took off under the arches and round the roundabout with the aim of getting back before the record stopped, often belting through the red traffic lights in a bid to do so. But although media attention may have focused on the lurid tales of death and mayhem, the Ace provided a necessary sense of place and belonging for many young people alienated by the mundane concerns of their parent's generation; this was palpably demonstrated when no less that 12,000 people turned up to the Ace 25 year reunion in 1994.

The Ace had struggled in the latter half of the sixties; its decline due in part to the redevelopment of the national road system and the arrival of modern motorway service stations. Newly affordable cars such as the Mini also played a part in its demise, and Rocker culture was also squeezed by the arrival of Mods, and then the hippies. The Ace closed its doors in 1969, and things looked set to remain that way until in 1993, current owner Mark Wilsmore had an idea... 'I used to come down to the site of the old Ace which had become a tyre depot, just to look at it and reminisce. Then one day, I thought, 'What about a reunion to mark the 25 years since its closure?' After which, I had the notion that I could perhaps re-open it. It was complete bolt from the blue, and from that moment on, I set out and pursued the dream relentlessly, finally culminating in what you see now; open seven days a week; a home for petrol and for rock n roll.

After a long delay to gain planning permission and the appropriate licenses, the Ace finally reopened fully in 2001. Mark freely admits that he initially had no idea about how to run a café, and many of the people who came to work there came out of enthusiasm for the venue rather than with any catering knowledge. 'People came from all over the world to work there, and had to be trained up from scratch. There were a few early disasters on the catering front, but what they did bring with them was a real sense of passion for the place, as well as pride in their work.'

Mark is also passionate about the Ace's place in British youth culture, and currently the Ace holds a substantial archive of photographs from the café's 50'/60s heyday. The café regularly receives requests from all over the world from people looking for information about the misspent youths of their loved ones. But of course, the place operates primarily as rock n roll venue, although Wilsmore is keen to expand and be more inclusive. 'I'd like to have different music nights in the same way that we have different events for different groups of petrol heads. But people who come here are mainly into their petrol, be it in the form of classic cars, Harleys, hot rods, Triumphs or VWs. The commitment and passion that is wrapped up in each and every vehicle you just can't measure. Others are into their football in the same way that we're into our petrol.

I suspect that now it's back, the Ace won't be going away again in a hurry.

The Ace Café, Ace corner, North circular road, Stonebridge, London, NW10 7UD. Telephone 020 8961 1000.

© Nude magazine 2004. Originally published in issue 3 of Nude (May/ June 2004).
Pictures kindly sourced by Ace Cafe and itsmany patrons.