GUNDRY WHITES PH

This grade II listed building has a lot of heritage; however, its appearance on the Norwich music map is down to a short period between 1980 and 1986 when it was known as Gundry Whites. The venue had been putting on bands since the late seventies but the emergence of the Norwich metal scene in the early eighties saw the genre claim the venue as its own. That’s not to say that other styles of music never played here, it’s just if not prepared they often found themselves getting a frosty reception. Although as with the other venues synonymous with the local metal scene at the time i.e. The Trumpet and The Festival House, the line of motorbikes outside should have been a dead giveaway.

Many of Norwich’s top metal bands played here, Stormtrooper, The Angels and Saigon to name a few, as well as many up and coming metal acts from around the country, Bronz and Tobruk are two I remember personally. After 1986 the premises changed hands and name numerous times but only returned to putting on music in a live and club capacity in around May 2010 when it reopened as the Knowhere Bar.

Venue timeline:

First noted as Coopers in 1878 and by 1894 the premises had become The Bank Plain Restaurant with an entrance at 5 Bank Plain. Between 1905 and 1912 the premises were part of The Bank Plain Stores and The Bank Plain Hotel. The licencee from 1904 to 1937 was George Gundry White and by 1920 the premises had become unofficialy known as Gundry Whites. Taken over and remodelled by local catering company W.Purdy Ltd in 1961 the premises opens with a celler wine bar. [At some point the pub reverts back to brewery ownership once again under the title Gundry Whites or just Whites]
In ?? 197? the pub starts to put on regular music nights, these are sporadic until ?? 19?? when the bar becomes a regular venue. Despite the obligatory changes in management and chain and minor threats of ending live music the acts continue to play until mid 1985/1986. In 1986 the bar stops live music and becomes known as Drummonds 1986-1988 before reverting back to Gundry Whites again between 1988-1994 when the pub changes it's name to The City Ale & Wine Bar 1994-Jan 1996. The venue changes names many more times after this with brief periods of putting on Live music but has never returned to the heights of its glory days. [with help and thanks to Norfolkpubs.co.uk]


Afterlife:

The Hogs Head April 1996-2004 [unconfirmed]

The Griddle Bar August 2005 [unconfirmed]

Indulge September 2006

Noir Bar December 2009

Knowhere Bar May 2010 (some gigs seen during this period)

Carnival February 2012

Hideout September 2012

Brewdog April 2016.

H&N 13/04/81: Temp landlord Ken Kent leaves Gundry Whites after 10 weeks as pub goes from Tolly back to Charringtons says music is ending.

N&N 25/01/82: "Whites shocker live music cut as pub goes "up market"" Spokesman from Charringtons Breweries said they wanted to make the pub the hip place to be in Norwich and could refurd at up to £100,000. Last band appears to be Carl Gustav & the 84s on 23/01/82 replacing the advertised London band Far Canal. [Note: This was a false alarm and music did not actually stop until around 85/86]

Picture courtesy of Jonathan Plunkett by George Plunkett