Gambling Casino in Hillfields

I seem to recall that there was a casino called the Bimbo Club or something like it in Primrose Hill Street in the 1960's. Am I mistaken or can anyone shed any light on this?

Hello & welcome to our forum, Let's see who can come up with some info.

Hello Rob, Yes, they are advertised in the Coventry Evening Telegraph in the 1960's as the the Bimbo, Victoria Street, Hillfields.

Many thanks. I thought I could have imagined it!

Hard to believe. I have no recollection of that place name. Amazing how times change. The name is a pejorative expression that, in these days of political correctness, where the pendulum continues to swing and has not reached an apogee, would not be tolerated in the workplace.

1972 directory here, listed as a restaurant not a gambling casino. Bimbo not listed in 1960 directory

Bygum Rob, You get it all here, hey!

For the life of me can`t remember name of the club, but it was on the right just passed Vine St

The restaurant was closing down in 1963 and to reopen shortly as a club, according to the CET

The Bimbo Casino, run by Alan Blank (did he live on Asthill Grove?). My mum was a croupier there for many years to about 1975 or so. I wish I could remember the names of some of the people she worked with, they were a nice lot, full of fun. They all seemed to be members of the Magic Circle (I've never been sure if that's a good thing for a croup) and I still have some of the trick props they gave me.

Throwley Glad you came up with the name I have been trtying to remember it, do not know if he lived in Asthill Grove but it was certainly in that area. Do you remember if Nello who later had restaurants in Coventry worked there? I think his surname was Mancini but I am not sure. I think he would have been a waiter.

Sorry, but I can't recall Nello from mum's times at the Bimbo.

I certainly recall Nello's Italian restaurant. The owners (a married couple) used to live in Canley Gardens, which is almost in Earlsdon. I can picture the house now. I won't say what the address is, but I went there every week for a few years. I always dealt with the wife. Never met the husband, as I was told he was busy at work in the restaurant. I used to do paper rounds for Jim Holt's newsagents shop which was in Canley Road. I also did a weekly collection round for the paper money. The lady of the house told me that she and her husband owned Nello's restaurant, her husband was Italian, and the surname was Minnelli (as in Liza Minnelli). Mrs Minnelli said that Nello was a shortform name, or nickname. Like Mac for MacDonald etc.