Wigan Album

What a fabulous photograph. The boys in the background getting a belly full of beer before trying their luck with the girls. In fact, one fast bugger has got in early...There was always one in every crowd...thought he was Oliver Reed...Lol. Great, nostalgic picture, capturing a better time, maybe? The Casino, still an old fashioned dance hall; before the 'elitist' Mockers of so called Northern Soul' decimated the old place...Gordon Bennett! Makes mi heart bleed...

If it wasn't for the date I would say two of the girls are old friends Pat Haliwell and Maureen Porter ( nee ? )

Casino, I remember it well, never went but some horrible person nicked my Cortina Mk 2 off our drive for their journey back home to Blackburn mind you, they did leave another one in its place which they had nicked from Blackburn the day before for the journey to Wigan, I lived in Aspull those days.

Jarvo..it makes my heart bleed too..I was there when it was the'emp..6 out of 7 nights a week..brilliant happy days..why oh why did the powers that be knock it down.

Walt from North Yorkshire...What has the Casino got to do with someone nicking your car?????

Maureen to answer your question, it ended up being a drugs den.

Jarvis at it again, Mr know it all. He would have only been a snotty pony riding 15 year old at that time. Stick to sweeping the swarf from your little machine lad, leave the grown up stuff to them who were there.

Why is everyone so wrapped up in all this Wigan Casino nostalgia malarky?, as though nothing else prior to it was greater or better?. There were much better and memorable times, I'm sure. Noone talks about the court dancing school where decent people went to and enjoyed themselves rather than solely to get drunk. No wonder things went pear shaped towards the late 60s. Look at Wigan's nightlife now, a degrading place full of nightclubs and binge drinking.

Al..I can honestly say that I never saw anyone drunk when it was the Emp..and a drug then would be an aspirin..there used to be the Plumbers ball..Electricians ball,Police ball etc,I went to everyone but I honestly don't remember any of my friends getting drunk..it wasn't the thing then to look cool by being stupid blind drunk..we just enjoyed all our mates and the dancing.

Doing the famous Round The Handbags dance

Garry is absolutely correct, drug den! People came from London and far and wide wishing to dance all night on nothing, I think not!

Maureen, I meant the Casino was a drugs den, and not the Emp. The Casino ended up being a drugs haven for troublesome adits from all over the Country, the place was never out of the Wigan Observer...it had to end weather people liked it or not. The ironic thing about it all 90% weren't from Wigan. I've been to the place in the 70s just a couple of times and don't miss it one bit.

Garry, my car and others were nicked to provide the necessary transport for the ravers to visit the Casino and then get back home. The kids those days came from all over the country and looked for a cheap form of transport, a popular way was to nick and then trash a vehicle.

In happier days, the Wigan Observer held the Queen of Industry Celebration ball at the Casino club back in 1968. Very successful when over a thousand people attended the promotion ball. See item number 18248.

Get off your high moral horses will you, drugs were prolific in Wigan town well before the days of the northern soul scene appeared. Nearly all the pubs around town had its dealers and users, the 'room at the top' was probably the main place then the Bierkellar and the pubs on Wallgate. The Casino in the later years did have it's drug problems that's why they continually tried to close it down, undercover police were always present but could never get enough evidence for closure of the venue. Fact is Wigan and its night scene mid sixties was just as bad as other places in in the UK for drugs. Maybe you just closed your eyes to the fact.

Yes Walt, but How do you know it was people who attended the Casino? Why do you think it was them, what proof did you have?

Walt people from wigan casino went to your house in yorkshire to get home, tell me another.

Had some great times, when the Casino was the Wigan Emp, & The Palais-de- Dance. No drugs then in the fifties, nor early sixties. Two, or three pints suited you fine. I can only remember the late night dances, being the special ones, on a Friday night.

Thank you Garry..I knew what you meant..I was just making comparisons.

This picture was taken in the days when the entertainment was provided by beat groups such as Harlem John's Reshuffle, Ipso Facto, Mike Hurst and the Trekkers, The Kibbos and The Summers. The club manager was Gerry Marshall and he employed some tough bouncers so there was not much chance of drugs being in evidence. I remember being grabbed and shoved by one of these gents and told to go and put a tie on.

Gary --- to conclude, The police made the connection, it was a regular thing each weekend. Northern Sole, read the comments properly, I said I lived in Aspull those days, end of !!!.

Walt, but from Wigan Town to Aspull, isn't just round the corner from the casino is it. I'm a bit puzzled. why target Aspull in the first place. Their are many other places ie Scholes, New springs, Lower Ince etc etc. Do you know what I'm saying.

We absolutely loved Emp. and Palais, Just dancing and couple drinks, No Drugs ! was the 'In place'. have lots of good memories

Jackson, Wallgate pubs, really? Which ones you talking about. The Keller I went in loads of times with mates and don't remember drugs being an issue. It's the Wallgate pubs you mention that surprises me. Does anyone have insight on this? Not doubting you at all Jackson just surprised.

Laurence favvers a little lad in this photo

Of course there were drugs in the place, for gods sake, just because you didn't come into contact with them doesn't mean they weren't being handed out like smarties. The casino manager was Mike Walker and Marshall was the lease owner, Walker had Marshall run the all nighters. As for the bouncers, well they never made a few bob on the side pushing stuff did they? Well I can tell you they did and not only on the Northern Soul scene, well before.

Met my wife at the Casino in 1969. We used to go Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights and the so called Star Nights. Remember The Equals, Fontella Bass, Leaoy Lee (honestly) and if course The Drifters. Great nights out, better if you avoided the inevitable rumble. We got wed in 1973 by which time we had graduated to doing the rounds of the Catholic & Labour Clubs with her mum & dad. Never went to an All Nighter but Russ Winstanley was the DJ at our Wedding. He was in a year or two above me at WGS and worked with my dad, Dougie, who used to be a barman at the Bier Keller. Phil (Pip) Stokes of the Kibbos, they were all left handed hence the name, was in my year at schoolar. Our marriage is still going strong despite 2 kids & 5 grandkids. Been retired 4 years now and loving it.

I think Jackson is on drugs.

Another informative comment from Garry. Maybe if you posted what you actually know and not what your mates uncles second cousin said you may get something correct. I worked the doors there from 67 to 78 and saw the things I mention. But you go ahead and and accuse me of being on drugs if you like, not a very good comeback from you is it, did you dry up and couldn't express yourself in any other way than using a derogatory remark.

Oops. I meant Leapy Lee. Remember Little Arrows. Why the heck the Casino should showcase him I' ll never know. Probably most popular band to regularly play the Casino was Harlem Johns Reshuffle. Ozgek

No offence Jackson just a little humour thats all.
Yes their was drugs knocking about Wigan in some places. But Wigan Casino in later years got out of hand. It had to close.

Well it certainly didn't close because of any drug problems.

Had some great nights here with mates in the late 60s early 70s I used to go Friday Saturday and Monaco on Mondays. I started going to the Beachcomber then moved on up to the Casino. I saw some great bands here, Jimmy James and Vagabonds Jonny Johnson and Bandwagon Detroit Spinners and Emeralds The Elgins The Tams The Drifters Jimmy Ruffin and many more. I met some great people there and still friends with quite a few today. Great photograph Frank, do you have any more?

Can`t believe how few people have identified themselves. Surely quite a few folk in these photos venture onto Wigan World?

Dave Johnson..most of them weren't from Wigan that's why.

Garry, these photos were taken long before the Casino All-Nighters had even been thought of although the music was still "Northern Soul". I first went to the Casino 1970/71 after progressing from the Beachcomber. I was also there the night Leapy Lee was booed off!

The casino was the death of Wigan dance halls. and the last of most wiganers going to wigan to enjoy themselves it was when THE SCUM moved in from all over the place.

Well said Kayleigh and absolutely correct.

Proper pint pots with a handle..Do they still have them? Not seen one for ages

Kayleigh,Garry, spot on would not have a night out in Wigan if they paid me.

My memories like Frank,s go back to the days long before
Northern Soul when I think the name had just changed from the
Empress to the Casino. Saturday nights in the late 60,s were good provided one had already got "tanked up" in the Commercial,the Victoria,the Ball and Boot,the Bierkeller and
even(posh this)the Grand Hotel!

I well remember pairing up with a chap called John Garry(is he still around?) to date a couple of girls we "chatted up"
called Brenda and Maureen the following Sunday evening. We were romantic in those days;the rendezvous was the old Ribble Bus Station! Happy Days!!

Tony: You little romantic devil you know how to give a girl a good time, meet up at the ribble bus station. I think you were trying to look at her double deckers, well said Tony I like it.

Hello John, happy days at the casino with no trouble caused by our merry gang.Do you still wear that cravatte on evenings out!

Laurence Fairhurst: I think you might have the wrong John G Laurence.
Ironically I did have a spell of wearing cravattes that was when.i was in tune with my female side in the flower power days. But like my hair line it's gone west, now i'am into anything that fits.

My apologies John G.

No apologies needed Laurence, it's nice to talk to some one who was there same time as myself. Just to go back to the picture I remember these girls who were there most weekends.

I was there 1977 till it closed in 81 Best years of my life loved every minute.As for Drugs course there was drugs but there's more now and drink we just drank pop they didn't serve ale.We didn't need anything else the Music dancing and meeting Friends is what made it.The place was run down but did we care not a bit.

Great pic!
Had many a great night there late 60s early 70s. Knocked about with Charlie Watson RIP
Shame about its demise! Very happy memories and the girls....