The Mexican Hat in Worthing, West Sussex was a popular live venue during the early-to-mid 1960s. The venue wasn’t advertised regularly in the local press so I’d be interested to hear from anyone who can add any further details of groups that performed there.
The Worthing Gazette only advertised the venue intermittently throughout 1964, so please get in touch if you can provide confirmed concert dates for this year.
However, it looks like gigs took place every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday and a ‘New Junior Twist Club’ may have started on 8 February 1964.
26 March 1964 – Gene Vincent & His Shouts and Lee Tracy & The Tributes (Thursday) (Worthing Gazette)
28 March 1964 – The Southern Sounds and The Jaguars (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
29 March 1964 – The Detours (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
30 March 1964 – Dave Storm, Jeff Spence & The Tremors (Bank Holiday Monday) (Worthing Gazette)
31 March 1964 – The Untamed 4 (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
There is a massive gap in the Worthing Gazette until the following dates
25 September 1964 – The Beat Merchants (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
26 September 1964 – The Southern Sounds and Sherlock & The Saints (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
27 September 1964 – Unit Four (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
29 September 1964 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
30 September 1964 – The Southbeats (Wednesday) (Worthing Gazette)
There is a massive gap in the Worthing Gazette until the following dates
24 December 1964 – The Beat Merchants and Force Four (Thursday) (Worthing Gazette)
26 December 1964 – Jimmy Marsh & The Del Mar Trio and The J Crow Combo (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
27 December 1964 – Dave Storme & The Tremors (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
29 December 1964 – The Beat Merchants with supporting group (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
31 December 1964 – The Detours and Jimmy Marsh & The Del Mar Trio (Thursday) (Worthing Gazette)
According to the Worthing Herald, the club was run by manager Chris Vallins. The newspaper only occasionally advertised gigs at the venue throughout 1965.
However, the Worthing Gazette was better at advertising throughout 1965, although the list below isn’t complete. This newspaper notes that gigs took place every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
26 February 1965 – The Detours (Friday) (Worthing Gazette) This is interesting as The Detours had recently joined forces with Beau Brummell to become The Noblemen so perhaps a solo gig for the band?
27 February 1965 – The Tony Grant Group and The J Crow Combo (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
28 February 1965 – The Beat Merchants and The Deltas (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
2 March 1965 – The Tremors (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
There’s a gap then until the following dates
16 April 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
17 April 1965 – The Tony Grant Group and The Deltas (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
18 April 1965 – Dave Storme & The Tremors (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
19 April 1965 – The J Crow Combo (Monday) (Worthing Gazette)
20 April 1965 – DJ Blues Show (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
There’s a gap then until the following dates
21 May 1965 – The Beat Merchants and The Scaffold (Friday) (Worthing Herald) Filmed live at the club for Southern television
22 May 1965 – The Force Four and The Deltas (Saturday) (Worthing Herald)
23 May 1965 – Dave Storm & The Tremors (Sunday) (Worthing Herald)
25 May 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Herald)
29 May 1965 – Sons of Man and The Deltas (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
30 May 1965 – Unit 4 Plus 2 (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
1 June 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
5 June 1965 – The Giants and The Deltas (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
6 June 1965 – Johnny Kidd & The Pirates (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
7 June 1965 – The Deltas (Monday) (Worthing Gazette)
8 June 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
12 June 1965 – The Giants and The Heads and Tails (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
13 June 1965 – Lulu & The Luvvers (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
15 June 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
18 June 1965 – The Force Four (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
19 June 1965 – The Deltas and The Giants (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
20 June 1965 – Tony Jackson & The Vibrations (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
22 June 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
25 June 1965 – Sons of Man (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
26 June 1965 – The Klimacks and The Deltas (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
27 June 1965 – Long John Baldry & The Hoochie Coochie Men (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
29 June 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
2 July 1965 – The Warren J Show and The Diamonds (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
3 July 1965 – The Klimacks and The Deltas (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
4 July 1965 – Heinz and The Wild Boys (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
6 July 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
9 July 1965 – The Klimacks (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
10 July 1965 – The Deltas (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
11 July 1965 – The Four Pennies (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
13 July 1965 – Surprise group (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
16 July 1965 – Force Four (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
17 July 1965 – The Diamonds and The Deltas (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
18 July 1965 – The Applejacks (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
20 July 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
27 July 1965 – Cliff Bennett & The Rebel Rousers (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
30 July 1965 – The Web (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
31 July 1965 – The Sons of Man and The Deltas (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
3 August 1965 – Them (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
6 August 1965 – Just Five (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
7 August 1965 – Dave & The Diamonds and Heads & Tails (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
8 August 1965 – Two groups (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
10 August 1965 – Unit Four Plus Two (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
13 August 1965 – The Just Five (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
14 August 1965 – The Deltas and The Sons of Man (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
15 August 1965 – Two groups (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
17 August 1965 – The In Crowd (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
20 August 1965 – The Just Five (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
21 August 1965 – The Deltas and Heads & Tails (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
22 August 1965 – The Noblemen and The Beat Merchants (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
24 August 1965 – The Herd and The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
25 August 1965 – The Deltas (Wednesday) (Worthing Gazette)
27 August 1965 – The Klimacks (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
28 August 1965 – The Deltas and The Heads & Tails (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
29 August 1965 – Dave & The Diamonds and The Beat Merchants (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
31 August 1965 – The Nashville Teens and The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
1 September 1965 – The Deltas (Wednesday) (Worthing Gazette)
3 September 1965 – Force Four (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
4 September 1965 – Heads & Tails and The Deltas (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
5 September 1965 – The Beat Merchants and The Just Five (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
7 September 1965 – Cops ‘N’ Robbers (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
8 September 1965 – The Deltas (Wednesday) (Worthing Gazette)
10 September 1965 – The Sons of Man (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
11 September 1965 – Heads & Tails and The Deltas (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
12 September 1965 – The Beat Merchants and surprise group (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
14 September 1965 – ‘Another Top of the Pops attraction’ (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
15 September 1965 – The Deltas (Wednesday) (Worthing Gazette)
17 September 1965 – ‘One of the South’s top groups’ (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
18 September 1965 – Surprise groups (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
19 September 1965 – The Beat Merchants and The Cyan Three (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
21 September 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
22 September 1965 – The Deltas (Wednesday) (Worthing Gazette)
24 September 1965 – Force Four (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
25 September 1965 – Surprise groups (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
26 September 1965 – The Beat Merchants and The Noblemen (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette) The Noblemen are just back from Norway and this is their last British appearance for six weeks
28 September 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
1 October 1965 – The Klimaks (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
2 October 1965 – The Diplomats (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
3 October 1965 – The Beat Merchants and The Deltas (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
5 October 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
8 October 1965 – The Brian Hugg Fraternity (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
9 October 1965 – Surprise attraction (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
10 October 1965 – The Beat Merchants and The Cherokees (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
12 October 1965 – The New Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
15 October 1965 – The Sons of Man (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
16 October 1965 – The Alex Laine Group (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
17 October 1965 – The Beat Merchants and The Orioles (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
19 October 1965 – The New Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
22 October 1965 – Force Four (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
23 October 1965 – The Alex Laine Group (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
24 October 1965 – The Beat Merchants and The Orioles (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
26 October 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
29 October 1965 – The Five of One (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
30 October 1965 – The Alex Laine Group (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
31 October 1965 – The Beat Merchants and The Alex Laine Group (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
2 November 1965 – The Beat Merchants (Tuesday) (Worthing Gazette)
5 November 1965 – The Deltas (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
6 November 1965 – The Five of One (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
7 November 1965 – The Profile with support (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
12 November 1965 – The Deltas (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
13 November 1965 – The Five of One (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
14 November 1965 – Force Four and The Profile (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
19 November 1965 – Mair Davis & The Rockets (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
20 November 1965 – The Palmer James Group (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
21 November 1965 – The Cherokees and The Beat Merchants (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
26 November 1965 – The Sons of Man (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
27 November 1965 – Top local group (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
28 November 1965 – Two top groups (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
The newspaper says The Profile and top group plays this week
3 December 1965 – The Deltas (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
4 December 1965 – Alex Lane (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
5 December 1965 – The Beat Merchants and The Look (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
10 December 1965 – Force Four (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
11 December 1965 – The Sons of Man (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
12 December 1965 – The Noblemen and The Look (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
17 December 1965 – The Look (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
18 December 1965 – The Palmer James Group (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
19 December 1965 – The Profile and The Look (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
24 December 1965 – The Look and The Diplomats (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
26 December 1965 – The Beat Merchants and The Mike Stuart Span (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
27 December 1965 – The Don Williams Combo (Monday) (Worthing Gazette)
31 December 1965 – Chris Boyle & The Look and Sack of Woe (Friday) (Worthing Gazette)
1 January 1966 – The Deltas (Saturday) (Worthing Gazette)
2 January 1966 – The Cherokees and The Look (Sunday) (Worthing Gazette)
According to the Worthing Gazette, the Mexican Hat was closed for a short period for alterations. However, the newspaper did not advertise the venue again in 1966
We’d welcome any additions below in the comments section with dates if possible
Interested to see your site.
I was part of the Deltas right through the 60’s _
(ouch..!) Chris Vallens and Bob Gately were very generous with the gigs, bless ’em. You may find more info in Mike Reads book ” 60’s South Coast Beat Scene”.
The Mexican Hat has great memories for me. Thank you. Chris Coates.
I been following your site with regard to the Top Hat and Mexican Hat. I was the bass player with the Delta’s from the beginning in the 60’s. The Mexican Hat and the Top Hat hold a lot of great memories it’s the Top Hat that met my wife Maree of 55yr’s. Thank you Eric Wilkinson.
Yo Wilkes! Its been a while…, hope all is going well with you two.
Regards, Coatsie
Hi Chris great surprise to to see your texts about the Mexican Hat they were good times. I doing alright thanks how are things with you. Did you go to the Mike Reads book opening in Worthing . Have you heard anything about Jerry is he still around
. Wilkes
Hi again, great to know you are still with us,…many aren’t. For some reason I thought Jerry was also in Canada.
I kept gigging thru the years, couldn’t find much else that made sense.
Can’t believe how fortunate I was to meet you guys, and Norman of course!
You changed my life and the whole experience was, and always will be a major keystone for me. Thankyou my friend…
Hi Chris sorry it’s taken me so long to reply to your texts. So with that said how are you well l hope and your brother doing. You said that it sounds like a few people have passed people that I might know. Maree had breast tCancer she got over that then she got lung cancer touch wood she been given the all clear. Then at the being of April l had a hip replacement all went well just about to leave the hospital then I had a mild stroke they said that l had three before so they had to operate and clean out my blood vescal in my neck so far everything is ok so with that out of the way you said that you have been playing though the years I guest that you are playing lead guitar what music do you play l don’t know if you heard that we lost Justin in a car accident in 1980 he was mouth away from his birthday are you still living in Worthing did you ever get married and have kids l see that Geoff and Vic of the Beat Merchant are playing again. That night l meet you outside off Norman’s. I met my best friend it was a sad day when you left the group it was never the same after that well my friend l could go on and on. All the best friend Wilkies
Hi. I’m Geoff Farndell the bass player from the Beat Merchants. We had some great times at the Hat (both Mexican and the Top Hat at Littlehampton). Lovely for me to see all the dates and who we gigged with all those years ago. Thanks for doing this
Hi Geoff great to see your texts about the Mexican Hat and Top Hat they were good time’s. I don’t know if you remember me but I was the bass player with the Delta’s. The first time I saw the Beat Merchant was at the Worthing pier where we played that night with you and the T Bones and the Untamed being a big stone fan you were what I your wanted the Delta’s to be we played together at the two Hats plus other places great times at the top hat we play on the footfall table you and Vic against Gavin and me. Great to see you and Vic are playing again l won’t to say how sorry to hear about Gavin and Relf got all your records two 45 plus L P and CD brings back good memory’s. All for now Eric
Hi With regards to your site about the Mexican Hat is that on Sundays there was always a afternoon show on the days that Lulu, Heinz and Long John Baldry played the Delta’s played the
afternoon shows I may be wrong but l think Elton John was in the band. Do you think that you could forward my email address to Chris Coates please thank you
Hi Eric
Long John Baldry did front Elton’s band Bluesology but that was from late 66 and I am not sure if this venue operated into 1967 and early 68
Now there’s a memory or two!
Both ‘Hats’ were great venues. I well remember doing a gig with Paul Gadd (you know who l mean) Beat Merchants featured heavily (ZZ Top lookalikes?)
l also remember Countdown and the Zeros (my band did Beat Room on BBC 2 with them when they became Peter and the Headlines)
Met the great Bob Gaitley again at Chichester when Mike Read launched his book about the south coast bands.
Those were the days my friend….
James Hazelden, The Sabres/ Shelley (as P.J.Proby support band)
Hi, I’m Richard (Dick) Millen and have only just found this site. I was lead guitarist for several groups that played at both venues, firstly with the Aztecs, then Dave Storme and the Tremors, who, after several line-up changes morphed into Dave and the Diamonds.
They were great days and youngsters had the opportunity to see top bands locally for a few “bob”.
Unfortunately, arthritis has put an end to my playing, but I still have great memories.
Hi All, i can see my Grandad was mentioned Chris Vallins or also known as Chris Lynn. Unfortunately Chris passed away back in 2007 and his wife Jean passed away a few days ago.
Does anyone have any stories? He done a lot in his life and was very popular within the sussex music scene. Unfortunately i was only 11 when he passed so can’t remember any stories about the Mexican Hat from him.
Hi Jamie, I knew your Grandad and Jean very well. I was a frequent visitor to the Mexican Hat and played in a band called Profile. Chris and I became friends and when he started his booking agency we did lots of gigs for him and had long chats about his love of the ‘Seagulls’. He was always an optimist and good company
I remember he had a dog called Boswain. I’m still in the business with my show ‘That’ll be the Day’ which has been touring theatres for nearly 40 years!
Your Grandads phrase I remember most was. “ Jeepers Creepers”. Lovely guy. Trevor Payne
Hi Trevor, thank you for the reply.
I mentioned your name to my mum Nicky who worked with Chris running the Chris Lynn entertainment agency and she remembers you!
If you ever had any pictures or anything of Chris, i would love to see them. I am too young to remember the dogs he had but i imagine you would of seen them and him at Kimber Close.