The Ship for me and my old crew. Sometimes Bay Horse. Odd place growing up in Chelmsford . Back then not far enough from London to form any identity of its own, but also too far away to be really influenced by london quickly . Made us adopt a real DIY attitude, doing parties , bunking school to go record shopping / clothes shopping . Zoom, Soul II Soul, MASH.

Back then in Chelmsford we had New Era which was a clothes store then a market stall a couple of days a week for tunes.

    IndustryStandard Another one here from Chelmsford. Used to go record shopping at Vinyl Rhythm near the station. Always wished there were some decent nights there, but don’t think there was a demand for it. Plus London was close enough

      Vinyl Rhythm and then a few ales in the ship.

      completely agree, never really had anything decent apart from the odd one off’s. I seem to remeber ashley beadle playing at the shire hall.

      I used to bunk off school and go to Vinyl Rythms to see Al in the house side.also frequented the ship most saturday afternoons.

      also used to drive up to southend for soulman records

      • Dan replied to this.

        Christian My old mate (RIP) Keith Elderfield was a resident at basics and was putting on gigs at the Shire Hall…..Chelmsford had an involvement with Sunscream as they used to do their parties in Moulsham Street and Dave Valentine was producing them. Knuck is probablt one of the most underated DJ’s there’s been in Chelmsford. Soulman was a great shop…I blagged tickets for the Northern Exposure launch at MOS from Colin & Steve.

            Christian The fact that he makes it looks so easy when he’s playing.

              Dan filled in for Dave Valentine last summer at the Street Beats and Eats festival . Sunscream were playing which was entertaining . In true Chelmsford tradition the event descended into farce when a local pikey went apse shit and it too 6 community officers to boot him out……..Nothing changes

              • Dan replied to this.

                  However my folks live in Springfield (opposite the railway bridge) still an alright area.

                  I moved away 20 years ago to Leeds but still visit my mum in moulsham. The outskirts are still pretty nice but have not been out in the town centre for years

                  • Dan replied to this.

                    Dan I lived on heath drive which is really close to tile kiln. tile kiln use to have an ace video shop when i was a kid

                        Tile Kiln was a bit shit mind. I used to live in Galleywood. When were you in Chelmsford, Christian? Never went to the Ship when I lived there, it was all about the Bay Horse - the Ship was a shithole back then. Went there when it got done up and I went back, but I’ve not been out in Chelmsford for decades now.

                        Christian Next to the Chinese. That closed down that to me contracting Salmonella from them - I was the first reported case of getting Salmonella from beansprouts in the UK - that’s some badge of honour. I lost two or three stone in 9 days (I can’t remember the actual, but I looked horrific)

                            Along_the_Wire I was in Chelmsford until 96 then moved to uni in Leeds and have not been back but to visit my mum. I use to drink in bay horse, Prince or orange and the fleece.
                            i know that Chinese really well and not surprised you got food poisoning from there. God knows how they could do that to bean sprouts. Hand around tile kiln and galleywood quite a bit especially at Chelmer park skateboarding.

                              Running Mare must’ve been your local? Or the Eagle?

                              running mare was ace before it got turned into a resturant

                              Used to get my Trumpet off a bloke in there.

                              The Ship was a hole prior to getting done up circa ’91. Pub closest to our school so bit of a traditional haunt. The place had a porta cabin in the car part during the renovation called the lifeboat. Story was in The Sun. They were simpler times back then…….lol

                              I go back from time to time. Take a trip down memory lane but majority of the place has changed so much from the early 90’s apart from The Ship and its menu. Its even still got the Ark Royal burger as an option…..suppose if it ain’t broken don’t fix it.

                              A lot of mates went to Uni and just gravitated back to Chelmsford and never left, which I found a bit odd. I couldn’t wait to get out TBH but its a different beast now. Just like any other commuter town TBH.