The first pub to be built in the  town was the Portland Hotel. The Duke of Portland (the local  landowner) decreed that all other pubs to be built in the town should be at least one mile apart. The page opposite is an extract from a book by landlord Bill Kell. It details the first Jazz Band to play the Portland - the original Vieux Carre Jazzmen. Later the Clem Avery Jazzmen were resident for a while. Clem's trombonist Laurence McBriarty still plays with the new Vieux Carre  band. today 

The second pub to be built was the Grand Hotel. This was demolished a few decades ago and a hostelry still remains in the cellars on the site.

The last pub to be built was the North Seaton Hotel. When it opened there were green fields all around as the area was yet to be developed. Because of this everyone said it was a white elephant and locally it became known as “The Elephant”.

A few years ago the pub chain Batemans redeveloped the pub, losing its hotel status. When it reopened it was officially renamed The Elephant.

Ashington Jazz Club Started at the North Seaton Hotel 35 years ago. When the place fell into disrepair the club moved to the Queens at Guidepost (now demolished) We moved back to the Elephant   before moving to our present venue the Block & Tackle in December 2018

Before they were famous Alan Price & Eric Burdon appeared @ Ashington Excelsior Social Club. A young Acker Bilk  also had a gig there. Kenny Ball played the Northern Social Club several times

The Cellar Club  (now Bubbles)  had a jazz residency with Sheila "Jazz" Giles and Ronnie McLean's band. We seem to think that the key night in the early 70s was when Ronnie Scot guested at the Cellar with theRonnie Scott Trio featuring Mike Carr  (Hammond) and Martin e Drew ( Drums)