Coming up on the weekend of September 6 through 9 is the 30th Anniversary of London’s Ace Cafe. The festivities will mark quite the occasion for the Ace which first opened in 1938 as a transport cafe, serving motorists and commuters working nearby. The building was struck by German bombing during WWII, suffering considerable damage, but remaining open for most of the conflict. The small cafe and coffee shop emerged as the British capitol’s premiere meet-and-greet (and challenge your mates to a race) venue throughout the 1950s and ‘60s with nightly crowds of hundreds of thrill-seeking riders convening from throughout the British isles. After closing its doors in 1969, the building served as a tire depot until organizers led by ex-Metropolitan police constable Mark Wilsmore and property owner George Tuschkinas held a reunion in September, 1994.
The throng of riders who turned up to share memories of speeding along the North Circular in the Ace’s heyday proved the motorcycling public’s desire to see the cafe re-open, which it did, complete with a newly remodeled interior, in 2001. There were some definite setbacks along the way to re-opening including a ruptured municipal water main that flooded the parking lot and nearly destroyed the building in early spring, 1999.
If you’ve yet to visit the Ace during a reunion weekend, it’s a must-do for cafe racer enthusiasts, whether your ride is an original air-cooled British classic, a modern naked performance bike or anything in between. The intoxicating sound of classic rock and roll blends with the pop and roar of open exhausts and the aroma of Brylcreem, fish and chips and warm(ish) pints to create a slice of rocker heaven. Even newcomers can find the conversation flowing like Castrol R as a welcoming, friendly atmosphere pervades the weekend from start to finish.
