Guy Watson's shop sat squatly in Darley Street, Bradford and it catered, back in the early 70's to those people who had evolved from the Hippy Set - Scott McKenzie's San Francisco flower children that wanted just a little more sophistication, as the early 70's began to rev up quicker than a Ford Cortina's engine. They still liked their floppy hats and Indian velvets but the flowers had begun to wilt a bit and the Beatles had all split up.
Afghan coats were all the rage- swirly embroidered uncured sheepskin; sometimes still with brambles in the long drooping wool trims. To set off the velvets and the Afghan coats, these newbie fashionites of the 70's would often wear heavy silver gemstone rings with multiple bracelets and bangles. All these items were supplied in copious amount's by Guy Watson's strange multi-tiered, rickerty shop.
Employees of Guy Watson's sometimes heard tinkling bells coming from the attic and the sound of organ music, especially when all the customers had gone home, but they were philosophical and got on with their job.
Guy Watson's continued in popularity as punk gave way to New Wave of the late 70's and very early 80's. Yhe shop was still packed as new generations of people went in and out of it's doors, clutching bags of 'alternative' goodies that would have their friends exclaiming 'Where did you get that from?'
Then suddenly Guy Watson's became a restaurant - well two themed restaurants and a coffee bar in the basement. Their velvets, knick knacks and New Age business was moved round the corner to a new unit.
In the restaurant a model train on a track above the head's of diners. True to form, it was the wackiest pizza restaurant ever, whilst upstairs in the more formal Garden Restaurant, diners sat in white plastic garden chairs on fake grass decked with fake flowers under sun umbrellas. it was all totally delightful.
Then things started to go a bit wrong - just a little - sort of - a frisson.
Guy Watson sold the restaurant which was called Gobbles, to a hard working Italian couple who promptly renamed it 'New Gobbles'. The name 'Gobbles' came from a large pair of moving red lips which hung over the entrance.
The couple discovered a temple hidden behind junk in the very top attic. They got very excited and a paranormal/occult expert from Leeds was called in to identify the temple in the top attic room.
This expert proclaimed the temple to be the lost Horus Temple Of The Golden Dawn which was known as 'temple number five'
The owners of New Gobbles planned to turn the area of the temple and the floor below in to a nightclub, but they ran out of money and sold up. In the meantime the owner of Guy Watson's new store was rumoured to have gone bankrupt.
The restaurant was renamed L'Aragosta and as I was working for a local magazine at the time I went in and sold them an advert. I asked if I could see the temple and they took me up lots of flights of stairs to an attic. The place did look a bit weird and had a kind of atmosphere but I remember it quite clearly and wrote an article on the place for a paranormal magazine at the time.
Firstly, there were the beginnings of the repairs the previous owners had begun before running out of cash. There were black and white pillars and an Egyptian figure on a throne painted on the wall. The ceiling was painted like the sky, going from pale blue with little fluffy white clouds to black with white stars. One wall was painted like the sea and there was a huge golden sun half in and half out of the sea. On the sea itself was a little boat sailing toward the horizon. The carpet was purple and there was an old organ bolted to the floor. So I actually went in this temple and know what was there because I was there with it.
Originally the Golden Dawn Temple in Bradford was situated in The Alexandra Hotel now demolished. The Hotel later became a part of Bradford College. The Golden Dawn Temple then moved to a pub cellar - again the pub was long ago demolished.
So - what was going on? Numerous odd and half veiled claims appeared. There was also a mystic Garuda Order of Light Temple in Bradford who some claim used that building too, maybe they did, the building is big enough. The Horus Temple was officially wrapped up a long time ago - or was it? I'd have to say - whatever claims are made to the contrary - no it wasn't.
Officially maybe - in reality a different story. The temple I entered was the Horus Egyptian Temple and not a temple of Garuda - absolutely definitely. I examined the entire area. Attempts were later made to destroy the essence of the temple by radicals, but, true to form, no business stayed in the building very long, So the power of the temple itself held out over and above these physical actions.
