Bunjies Coffee House Folk Cellar

Opened in 1953 or 1954, and one of the original folk cafés of the 1950s/1960s, Bunjies Coffee House & Folk Cellar was situated at 27 Litchfield Street (just off Charing Cross Road), London WC2. Below the café, in a 400-year-old wine cellar, was an influential music venue which changed little until its closure (and conversion of the premises into a restaurant) in 1999. Allegedly named after the first owner's pet hamster, the venue featured, early in their careers, Tom Paxton, John Renbourn, Bert Jansch, Bob Dylan and Paul Simon. Al Stewart secured a residency at the Folk Cellar in 1965, at the age of 19, which was a significant factor in his later success. During the 1960s the venue was run by two brothers, Leo and Theo Johnson[4] and, at this time, a range of artists more associated with mainstream pop music than folk happily performed to tiny audiences in the confines of the cellar; Phil Collins, Sandie Shaw, Cat Stevens, Art Garfunkel, Rod Stewart, Long John Baldry and David Bowie being amongst them. Bunjies was a haunt of many writers, comedians, singers and artists. Regulars have included Jarvis Cocker of Pulp. Other London folk cafés of the 1950s and 1960s included Les Cousins and The Troubadour.