The Ace Cafe opened in 1938 to accommodate traffic on the then-new
North Circular Road. It was built on an area between the
Grand Union Canal and
Stonebridge Park Depot. The cafe was rebuilt in 1949, after an
air raid on the nearby
Willesden railway
marshalling yards caused damage during the
Second World War. Events in the postwar environment made the Ace a success: the emergence of teenage
motorcyclists and an increase in traffic. As the cafe was open 24 hours a day, young people started to meet at the cafe to socialise with their motorcycles, and listen to
rock'n'roll on
juke boxes. Several bands and motorcycle enthusiast groups were formed at the Ace Cafe. During its heyday in the 1950s and 1960s, it would attract large groups of
rockers in the evening and at weekends. Biker Reverend Bill Shergold would visit the cafe and invite young people to join his
59 Club, a motorcycle group that promoted "positive values". The cafe reopened in 1997, with complete refurbishment completed by September 2001. Rockers and motorcyclists from various countries attend themed meetings. It is no longer open 24-hours but the cafe now has an extensive calendar of events for both motorbike and classic car owners. Hosting events such as monthly meets for both bikes and cars, as well as being licensed for weddings and civil partnerships. == Film and media ==