Eel Pie Island Hotel

ABOUT

The Eel Pie Island Hotel stood on an island in the Thames at Twickenham, and its ballroom held jazz from 1956 and rhythm and blues in the 1960s under Arthur Chisnall's club, Eelpiland. The club closed in 1967 and the hotel reopened briefly in 1969 as Colonel Barefoot's Rock Garden. It burned down in 1971 and the Aquarius housing block now stands on the site.

SIGNIFICANCE

The Rolling Stones first played the island on 24 April 1963 and held a residency there. The club also booked the Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and Long John Baldry's band with Rod Stewart, and in 1969 Black Sabbath and Hawkwind played Colonel Barefoot's Rock Garden.

MUSIC & CHARACTER

SOURCES

Details compiled from public sources. Run this venue? Get in touch to confirm or correct the listing.

1. https://twickenham-museum.org.uk/social-history/everydaylives/eel-pie-island-3/ (official website)Supports: The hotel burned down in 1971.
2. https://www.eelpieclub.com/_files/ugd/e733d9_9646e82dc36c4b8c80eeb401f205564d.pdf (official website)Supports: The hotel's ballroom became a jazz venue in 1956; in the early 1960s Arthur Chisnall's club ('Eelpiland') moved to rhythm and blues.
3. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/jul/09/eel-pie-island-british-r-and-b-bowie-stones-museum (news article)Supports: Chisnall's club also booked the Yardbirds, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, the Tridents with Jeff Beck, and Long John Baldry's Hoochie Coochie Men with Rod Stewart.