Run by Harold and Doris Toft, seen as the best music club venue Kent ever had... Hard to find details of who really played there in the 60's, peoples memories seem to be playing tricks on them.
I been here! See more in my gigography.
Was on Bouverie Road West, then demolished and Insurance offices built, where the police station is now. Tofts later moved to Grace Hill.
Got my original info from this page on collecting-tull.com but now garagehangover.com have this page about The Noblemen which has more info:
Not Tontine Street, so was it Grace Hill then?
Looking for an old girl friend Linda Mynard known as Mini Mynard. She used to go to Tofts a lot and lived across the road. She had brothers one called Rodney.
Run by Harold and Doris Toft, seen as the best music club venue Kent ever had... Hard to find details of who really played there in the 60's, peoples memories seem to be playing tricks on them.
Marmalade Skies 1967. Sounds like you saw some great stuff, do you have actual dates or anything?
puJust like to add my memories of Tofts. Went there throughout the flower power era with the ultra-violet lights and the incense sticks which filled the air. It was open all summer with local groups but of course the big acts we all remember most such as Geno ,Freddy Mack , Amboy Dukes -hey even Bill Haley and Junior Walker. What about that great Geranium Pond and the ska bands such as The Bees. No bar ,but you learned to drink quick in the interval. I think the guy's memory of a 100 capacity was a bit off---I was told it was about 600. Is the building still intact internally or has it changed beyond recognition? I remember Harold and Doris and have still got a lot of the discs they played and it only takes one incense stick to bring it all back.
I remember the good old days of Tofts. I used to walk up the stairs, past John Brunt who was the bouncer, to see Doris and Harold Toft, her standing behind the drinks bar and him standing in front welcoming people into the club. Lovely to read that Harold is still alive. Remembering him with fond memories.
I saw Black Sabbath at Tofts in Folkestone but the gig was in April (11th) "1971" - not 1970. I didstinctly remember seeing Ozzy and the band tucked into a small corner at the back,in the upstairs room of the venue. Most of the time, it seemed, Ozzy was huddled over the mike with his back to the audience. However, the music, I recall, was both dark and powerful and for the relatively small audience it was awsome; almost anarchic and somewhat akin to those smokey jazz-clubs of an earlier age, I suppose?
I used to go to Tofts regularly during the 60s (when it was at Grace Hill). Used to be one of my favourite venues. (The other being the Epress Ballroom, a bit further down the hill on the other side)
I was a founder member of Wilde Flowers along with my brother Hugh Hopper, Robert Wyatt and Kevin Ayers and later included Dave & Richard Sinclair. We were based in Canterbury and were the originators of the 'Canterbury Sound' which later spawned two successful bands: Soft Machine and Caravan. As Wilde Flowers we played many gigs in the mmid-sixties in Kent and Sussex and London and at Tofts we had a regular slot and it was one of our favourite venues especially as we supported a lot of big name artists - Brian
Was either of these buildings legendary Folkestone venue Tofts? I think I went to the right part of town...
I found a good Fleetwood Mac site with Leas Cliff Hall listed in 1968, but nothing in 1967 for example... Are these right or wrong? When would it have been then?
Tofts and The Hillside Social were Completly different clubs. The Hillside Social was on another part of Grace Hill and closed before the end of the sixties. Tofts went on well into the 70's and later became a disco. Tofts when hosting live bands never served alchohol it had indeed in its basement a 60's style Coffee Bar. I played many times at Tofts and supported Fleetwood Mac, Canned Heat and The Moody Blues there. I believe the Black Sabath gig was at the Art College (now demolished) which was indeed on Bouverie Road opposite the old police station I know for sure Hawkwind played there as well. Hope this is of some interest. Love the sight. Dave Shackle
I am sorry, maybe it was 1970. As a pupil I came to Folkestone several times and it`s obvious that I mixed it up (is that correct English?). On another leaflet of TOFT'S I found some more bands and infos
Concerning TOFT`S I would like to give you the following information: In 1969 the address was "35 to 39, Grace Hill"
Does anyone remember the Poor Boys Soul Band from the late 60's? I remember them as a regular band at Tofts in Folkestone and also at Margate and Hastings Witch Doctor Club.
I used to play regularly at Tofts in The Poor Boys Soul Band in the late 60's and remember Harold and Doris Toft who owned the club. Great times.
No Pauly you are way off, you have got to go towards the Library through the roundabout its down past the shepway office on the left the big greeny building opposite the end of the railings.
Ithink you asked if Tofts had a licence for Alcohol in the sixties Pauly, well they didn't, they had a little coffee shop down stair's. They were very strict about that kinda thing.
But they're BACK! Not in Folkestone this time, but plenty of tickets on EBAY for their Albert Hall shows...
from Bouverie Road West to Grace Hill I believe, though it may also have changed it's name when it moved to Grace Hill. Equally importantly though, I might have got that venue wrong, any idea of the name of the venue in Tontine Street? This is all before my time, I have cribbed this together from other websites. If you have any info you can send me, I'd really appreciate it, fg@folkestonegerald.com
I keep getting conflicting reports though... there was one that I think is where the police station is now, on Bouverie Road West, and then it moved to Grace Hill...
There's a lot of confusion surrounding Tofts, I think I have it covered though - after the original Tofts was demolished in the early 60's, "The Tofts", ie Mr and Mrs Toft who ran it moved to new premises... and people still called the new venue (Hillside Social Club on Grace Hill I think) "Tofts" too...
My mum used to go out with Noel Redding way back in the 60's so I can confirm that Hendrix played in Folkestone, but not in Tofts as everybody guesses she says vaguely that it was a social club on Grace Hill, but I quote "Don't ask me the name it was the bloody sixties".
Come on, someone must have been at this..? Maybe this was at the School of Art instead.
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