Wigan Album

This photograph was taken after August 1993 as the maroon car is a L reg Skoda Favorit. Wigan Casino only existed for eight years from 1973 to 1981, the building was formerly the Empress Ballroom and was destroyed by fire in 1982 or 1983 and demolished a short time later. The space was then occupied by a car park, and when the old Morrisons in Hope Street closed in 1986, the temporary Morrisons was a prefabricated building, and later became Wigan council offices. And then there is the Ritz Cinema and bingo hall that is where Poundland in the Grand Arcade is now. Station Road and Watkin Street are gone forever, and who remembers Wigan's third railway station after North Western and Wallgate that was Central Station and closed in the mid 1960s.

when was this took ? .

Sorry..D'Tease,I must correct you there if I may..it was originally the site of 'The Emp which I attended every night except Wednesday...now aren't you glad you know that. ha ha.

Too true Maureen that was our glory days before the Casino was even thought of. I must say I did go to the Casino to watch the cabaret and eat chicken in a basket on a Sunday night it would be 1968/9....

You’re right of course, it was originally the Empress Ballroom.

Ps the Casino I'm talking about is the one entered on Millgate which was quite 'posh' ( sans chicken in a basket) not to be confused with Northern Soul Casino which came after my heyday, the one Mr X is referring to.

your talking about mr "ms"on millgate . when was it took ? .

veronica it was the palais

Went to see tom Jones at the casino the entrance was in millgate it wasn't a big place .he did his act on the dance floor great act to see .it was in the 1960s

I like the girl's sober clothing and hair. Gradely.

Wigan Casino existed well before 1973, the Emp had changed its name to the Casino in the 60s. the Northern Soul all nighters started in 1973.

Whups, this was taken about 21-22yrs ago.

I took a lot of photos at that time but i’m afraid I wasn’t very good at keeping track of where and when.

Mr X the Casino first opened its doors Friday the 27th August 1965.

I saw Tom Jones around 1967/68 in the main dance area of what was The Emp. I also had my hen night in 1969 at what was The Emp, that was the last time I ever went there.....

Met my wife at wigan casino before northern soul, when thy had live groups playing.

Veronica, I think the Millgate entrance was The Palais.I too remember eating chicken in the basket sitting on the balcony. Posh.

Ahh....manys the time I queued with my sister outside the Ritz, it had such a glamourous interior to the eyes of a young girl.

Going through my 1962 diary recently and found a comment I made saying that from late March 1962 The Ritz cinema was being renamed "ABC Wigan". For months afterwards,I still called it the "Ritz".

I used to think the Ritz foyer was lush..and had many great Saturday mornings singing "We are the boys and girls well known as minors of the ABC".

Yes both you and Tommy are correct Jack... Thanks- we thought we were sophisticated when we went to the Palais didn't we.. Hahaha. I used to go to the Garrick in Leigh as well. Some very good shows.

Barrie, I was quite a small child when the Ritz became the ABC but I honestly never knew anybody call it anything but "The Ritz".

I remember going to see Sandie Shaw in the "posh" part of the Empress with one of my mates. If I am correct it was called the Crawford Lounge, and was very small, with the table at which we were sat being right on the edge of the dance floor.

Can someone clarify for me please , Why did Wigan Casino close ? I’ve heard all kinds of stories, but have never known the truth . Was it financial,
drugs , the lease ran out , a new owner , new project? Would love to know the exact reason . Thanks for the post DTease .

Although they had separate entrances in Station Rd and Millgate the Empress and The Palais were both accessible from one to the other from inside. On the Friday night late dances in the winter season they had a live band and bars open in each and you were able to wander from one to the other via the balcony inside the emp to the balcony in the Palais. The emp was by far the most popular and always had the best band. If you didn't work for Eckersleys mill you were very lucky to get tickets for their annual staff dance.

There was also a gambling casino inside which had blackjack tables, roulette,craps etc which you played with chips.

Friday night's at the emp was the biggy at the end of the night they announced the last waltz , save the last Dance for me .

That was true Derek B about both entrances. I remember having a wander with friends from one place to another, dancing in the Emp and then in the Palais. Chubby Checker's record ' let's Twist Again' was all the rage at the time and we were 'Twisting' away in the Palais I was only sixteen at the time, I can even remember what I was wearing as it was the first time I had ever been to The Emp! Happy times indeed...

Bill Blackledge and his orchesta.

Yes Jack,Bill Blacledge..the Emp was my second home,I practically lived for it,Friday nights Electrician ball,police,plumbers etc,I went to them all..I recall we had our own little lockers where we would keep our dancing shoes to change into,my a Dad said I don't know why you don't just take your pajamas to slip into...every night when I got home (always before Eleven )my Mam would have boiled an onion with butter waiting for me..no wonder I never caught a cold. They weren't just happy days..they were glorious days.

So you had a ball at every ball Maureen - I could never stop late though - a bit like Cinderella, but I had to be home for eleven, even after age 21 ! I can see myself racing down the steps near the Ritz and along Crompton St and up Scholes, breathless at the front door! Must have killed many a romance stone dead! But did manage a few dates for some nights afterwards! ;@))

Wasn't the beachcomber never the casino?

Veronica..I certainly did have a ball,plus I practically lived on the doorstep so no rush for a bus.

Remember the conga and the okay cocky every body joined in.great to remember

Before Bill Blackledge it was the Ken Hewitt orchestra. Ken lived for a time in Mabs Cross House.

Not one hulking, blacked out rear windowed SUV/4x4 anywhere. Today a shot like this would be full of them.

I remember going to the Ritz in Sept of that year to watch Jurassic Park. I remember there being a fairly large queue leading from outside and there was those cardboard standees in the foyer area; I bet they'd fetch a few bob today. I came out and lost my coat as someone must've nicked it. Last film I saw at the Ritz was Independence Day in 1996.

The last film that I saw was that one with Johnny Depp in it , the one where he was sailing about in a glass heatproof oven dish . I think it was called Pyrex of The Caribbean or summat similar .

Or was it that one about the rescue dogs ‘ 101 Salvations’

I have to say that one of my all time favourite films has to be the one starring Marlon Branflakes in " On the Watercloset " , or possibly his earlier film depicting industrial unrest in a chocolate factory , " Mutiny of the Bounty ".

Ritz Cinema built 1937/38. I’ve mentioned this before somewhere. When the Italians surrendered, it was flashed up on to the screen, there was an uproar of cheering, and clapping. I believe it was sometime in 1943. The Regal Cinema, in Lower Ince was built, just before the outbreak of war. The cinemas were a God send, In relieving the dreariness, and weariness of the general public. Air warnings, and the black out, just to name a couple.

I think the photo is later than 1993, the cinema looks closed and I remember watching at least two films there released 1994 and later

My great uncle was chief projectionist at the Ritz in the 50's, we were sneaked in to see Buddy Holly in '58' when I was Seven, we had loads of signed pictures, god knows what happened to them. Happy Days