Category: Farthers Moustache

Father’s Moustache (often styled “Fathers Moustache”) was a legendary pub and entertainment venue on Durban’s beachfront, primarily associated with the ground floor of the Malibu Hotel opposite South Beach / Marine Parade (now O.R. Tambo Parade). It was a cornerstone of the city’s nightlife in the 1970s and 1980s.

It opened around June 1972. Early performers included the band Hap’enny Fair (or similar early acts), with Archie Munnik on drums and Rocky Baldwin on sax among the opening musicians. It quickly became known for lively Friday and Saturday nights featuring draught beer in large quantities, sing-alongs, and a fun, crowded atmosphere that drew locals, holidaymakers, South African Airways crew (who often stayed at the Malibu), and visitors.

Atmosphere and Entertainment

The venue was famous for its party vibe: polystyrene hats with the name given out on entry at times, cheap beer (recollections of around 33 cents a drink or 30 drinks for R10 in the era), and communal singing of classics like “Wild Rover,” “Piano Man,” “Streets of London,” “Drunken Sailor,” “Whiskey in the Jar,” and more. It formed part of a popular beachfront pub-crawl circuit that included nearby spots such as the Malibu’s own Diamond Circle (upstairs lounge/dance area), Ports o’ Call (often noted as a younger or teen-oriented dance spot next door), London Town Pub, Castilian, Bull Ring, and others.

Key entertainment acts included:

  • The Blarney Brothers (Paul and Damien McIlroy with Tony Fisher), an Irish-themed trio who settled in Durban and performed regularly there for years (especially late 1970s onward). They were closely linked with the venue and other local spots like The Barn at the Athlone (later Riverside) Hotel. Their sets encouraged full-house sing-alongs and became a major draw.
  • Early banjo/Dixieland-style bands, including a 1974/75 stint by The Banjo Boys (a splinter from Shep’s Banjo Boys of the UK TV show The Comedians), with pianist John Orchard recalling 18 months of performances.
  • Comedy/show bands such as Blend (Peter Healey and others) and later acts including Cheers Comedy Showband (noted in the mid-1990s). Other mentions include Joe Parker for sing-alongs and jokes.

Staff recollections name barmen like Buck and Colin, and barmaids such as Dorothy, Liz, and others. Patrons described it as one of the best bars around—crowded, good vibes, a place to meet people, let off steam, and make lasting memories (engagements, romances, and social connections are frequently mentioned in reminiscences).

Location and Context

It sat on the ground floor of the Malibu Hotel, a popular mid-range beachfront hotel that offered affordable accommodation and was a hub for overnight stays (including SAA crew). The broader beachfront scene in the 1970s–80s was vibrant, with the Malibu complex also housing Ports o’ Call and the Diamond Circle. The area was central to Durban’s holiday and nightlife identity before major urban and social changes.

Later Years and Closure

Activity continued into the early-to-mid 1980s (and some reports mention entertainment into the 1990s, e.g., 1993–1996). Exact closure details for the original Father’s Moustache are not precisely documented in available sources, but it is remembered as part of the “old Durban” beachfront era that largely faded with shifting demographics, hotel changes, and the decline of that particular nightlife scene. The Malibu Hotel itself is recalled nostalgically as a bygone landmark.

Note that modern online listings sometimes show a “Fathers moustache” bar at Gardencourt 73, Marine Parade / South Beach (with contact details and generic descriptions of drinks and entertainment). This appears to be a later or different business using a similar name rather than a continuous operation of the original 1970s–80s venue. The classic Father’s Moustache is the one tied to the Malibu Hotel era and the vivid personal memories from that period.

In short, Father’s Moustache was a quintessential Durban beachfront institution of its time—affordable, lively, music-driven, and deeply embedded in local and visitor nostalgia for the 1970s and 1980s “jol.” Many former patrons and performers still share fond (if hazy) recollections of the beers, the bands, the sing-alongs, and the sense that the beachfront was the place to be.