The 2i's Coffee Bar

The 2i's Coffee Bar was a Coffeehouse on Old Compton Street in Soho, London, that was open from 1956 to 1970. It played a formative role in the emergence of Britain's pop music culture in the late 1950s, and several major stars including Tommy Steele and Cliff Richard were first discovered performing there.HistoryThe name of the 2i's derived from earlier owners, Freddie and Sammy Irani, who ran the venue until 1955. It was then taken over by Paul Lincoln - an Australian wrestler and wrestling promoter known as "Dr. Death" - and Ray Hunter. They opened it as a coffee bar on 22 April 1956. Tom Littlewood, previously its doorman and a judo instructor, became its manager in 1958.The basement of the coffee bar had live music making use of a small, 18-inch wide stage. Lincoln and Hunter started putting on skiffle groups; the first resident group were the Vipers, who included Wally Whyton. It soon won a clientele attracted because of its rock'n'roll music, and for a time became "the most famous music venue in England," and attracted talent spotters and music promoters such as Jack Good, Larry Parnes and Don Arden.