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Warsama had decided to open his own club after he was turned away from a London nightspot for being black. The Bongo Club first opened its doors in 1963 so that there would be a place to meet and socialise where everyone was welcome. Soon, the club acquired a reputation for its reggae music and as a
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where he set up the Kenya Cafe curry house. He was the first person to serve curry in
Teesside and used to give free meals to the kids in the area. The cafe then changed its name to The Unity Club before finally settling on Bongo Club in 1963 after Warsama had seen a band he had booked play the
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The appeal was successful and the club regained its alcohol licence in
December 2017, with plans to reopen in Spring 2018. The new owner Terry Barker, a longtime friend of Warsama, stated that the club would keep the same name and reggae style of music along with complete refurnishing.
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The licence was revoked indefinitely in June 2017, after a man was found unconscious with serious head injuries outside the premises. The appeal to reinstate the licence was supported by a number of local residents, including one who submitted a 60-page petition.
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Though
Warsama took a step back from the day-to-day running of his business in his later years, he still had the final say and was ever-present at the club over the years until his death from kidney failure on 18 September 2016 at the age of
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109:“Back when the club first started it was a very poor town so he would give all of the kids in the area free curries, so they had good healthy meals. That’s why people loved him, he was a true gentleman.”
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The club had its drinks licence suspended for three weeks following a serious assault in 2013. At the time, lawyers described the club's owners as being "as much a part of this town as the
104:"“Every day there is someone talking about him and remembering him... Most nightclub owners, you never see them, but Abdillahi was always in the bar and no one messed with him".
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48:. It closed in June 2017 due to its licence being revoked after a man was attacked at the club. It had been due to re-open after a £400,000 refit in spring 2018.
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meeting place for locals and sailors from all over the world. This prompted another name change to Club Bongo
International.
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As of April 2022, the club has still not reopened in its original location.
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349:"Tribute paid to legendary Club Bongo founder, who has died aged 104"
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231:"Club Bongo to celebrate life of legendary owner Abdillahi Warsama"
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297:"The history of Club Bongo ahead of reopening and £400,000 refit"
202:"'Sailors knew two things about Boro: Captain Cook and Bongo's'"
323:"The story of Bongo nightclub - with pics from over the years"
44:, England. The club is located on Bridge Street West near
166:"Famous Boro nightclub set to reopen - Tees Business"
72:. The cafe became popular after Warsama purchased a
426:"Club Bongo is back with new night in a new venue"
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264:"Legendary Club Bongo owner dies, aged 104"
494:Buildings and structures in Middlesbrough
40:club and one of the oldest nightclubs in
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84:would come in to listen to the music.
64:served in the merchant navy during the
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87:In the 1960s, Warsama moved to
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114:Closure and planned reopening
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141:References
82:Teddy Boys
30:Bongo Club
456:1°14′7″W
409:23 April
384:28 April
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89:Teesside
78:Scotland
74:jukebox
58:Somalia
52:History
36:, is a
379:mirror
70:London
38:reggae
124:parmo
76:from
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