The Golden Garter holds many happy memories for Paul Stoloff, who was a bassist for the Golden Garter Showband from 1970 to 1982.
“It was good fun – happy times,” he said.
“It was interesting because it was different music every week.
“So if you didn’t like what they’re doing, it’d be different for the next week.”
With so many famous faces descending on the club over its 14-year life, there are plenty of tales from behind the scenes.
“I remember one night when Dusty Springfield was on, I can even remember the blue dress that she was wearing,” said Margaret Giannini, who worked at the club from 1967 to 1980.
“Anyway, something happened that she wasn’t too happy about and she walked off the stage and went backstage and wouldn’t come out.
“The lighting man at the time came backstage and said to her ‘Oi – you get back on that stage and earn your money’ and what did she do? She went straight back on the stage.”
The Golden Garter proved so popular that even Queen Elizabeth II’s sister Princess Margaret paid a visit to the venue on Rowlands Way for a Royal Charity Gala.

