The Con club
 

First went there in 1965-I was 15yrs old.Remember going up the flight of stairs and the bar on the right,crammed to the door with guys.Went up another flight and the ballroom was on the right and as I walked in there was these gorgeous girls dancing in groups in the middle of the dance floor with their bags at their feet.Mini skirts maxi skirts, coloured tops,cropped hair long hair beehive hair....wow.The guys were circling around the girls like pack animals.Took me 4/5 weeks to pluck up courage to chat someone up,and even then had to wait till she went to the coffee bar which was behind the stage to do it.Remember one year the Mindbenders played there(could have been xmas time)The place was heaving.Also remember a local group called Gideon's way who were pretty good. It was a great stomping ground for the accy youth......also remember going to the arcade for a quick snog before she caught her last bus home.
Does anyone else have fond memories of the con club......

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Many Many fond nights of the Con, 4 Pennys, Wayne Fontana @ Mindbenders,Rev Black @ Rocking Vicars were me favourite, used to keep reasonably sober when they were on, they were that good.Was always Monday Nights,:);):D

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Bernard Presents, every Monday, those were the days cashy, my favorite dance in those days was the Quaker, twice round the dance floor then outside for your oats:D:D

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Hi Steve
Good that you remember Gideons Way, I played keyboard and Guitar with the band and we had some great times up at the "Con". The fact that they had some great headline bands on Saturdays was brilliant for Accrington, it was a superb venue and sadly no longer. I remember the stairs well and carrying my Vox amp all the way up as well as some of Jims drum kit, happy days. My Dad was a lifelong member and kept the bar going downstairs as well when he got over from Clayton.

Ian Smith

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I can remember the Con back in 1965,( above all dancing with Jimmy Lightbown!!) but I can't remember Gideons Way.
Perhaps they were later, were they local lads?

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Yep, have some great memories of the Con from back in the day. As for the groups, the one that sticks in my mind is one that nobody else seems to remember - this Manchester-based band were regular Monday night favourites from'66/'67. :cool:

The Richard Kent Style - Just a Little Misunderstanding - YouTube

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Hi Ian good to hear from you.If I remember rightly Gideons way were a cross between the Small Faces and the Who....you did some good cover versions.Also saw you at Rhyddings st club in Ossie (I promise I wasn't a stalker), alot smaller than the con club but again a good meeting place for the local kids......Happy Days

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Steve
Talking of Rhyddings, Jim Payne and I both attended Accy Tech and the band played outdoors in Rhyddings Park at some point as well. Trevor Gardner and David Robinson both came from Clayton as I did. Jim was from Accrington. And, yes we did some Small Faces stuff at the time.

Ian

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Another abiding memory of the Con club...being of a nervous disposition, I always found it a bit disturbing when mass punch-ups would suddenly erupt on the dancefloor for no apparent reason. There'd be a flurry of fists, the bouncers would wade in and then someone would come along and mop up the blood and relative calm would be restored...until the next time. There were certainly some lads up there who you'd take great care to avoid...most of whom, for some reason, were Cashy's mates! ;)

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Yep must say Wyn I remember the punch ups too - also at the Arcs and on occasions at the Mecca - used to go to Blackburn but usually Burnley.

Still the music made up for it... Four Pennies, and the Merseybeats once.

Probably stopped going about 1964 when I left school and went away to college.

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The four pennies. Wasn't Lionel Morton their vocalist an ex Blackburn Cathedral Choirboy?

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Eleven postings so far and nobody has mentioned the back door onto Paradise St - a quick dash to the Junction and a few 'nips' - strong ale. I didn't play snooker but my mates thought the tables in the club were superb.

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Never used the back door Bob, was well inebriated when i landed up the con.:D

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The Junction has been long gone now along with the chippy

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jaysay you might like this site Manchesterbeat - the group and music scene of Manchester in the 60s

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"The Swinging Hangmen" The Swinging Hangmen on Manchesterbeat - the group and music scene of Manchester in the '60s

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Sure was Max, somewhat an arrogant sob, the Pennies were good and didn't he know it, he certainly was the great I am;)

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Thanks wadey a good site have tagged it and will have a good read later cheers

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Lionel Morton, was a big headed ******, but out of his league when he married Julia Foster, she was class, he was crass.

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does this bring back memories.

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Shame the "Reflector Ball" on the ceiling aint on the pic Al.:)

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Ya your certainly right with that one Wyn, don't think they lasted long, think the last time I saw our Lionel was on a kids program years ago, might have been something like playaway or somat

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It didn't look that good when I was a regular in the late 50s.
Those 'vestibules' in the corners weren't there, the stage was higher, and the ceiling wasn't red.

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I think that's a picture taken after it was refurbishment cashy, think they took it down, nearly sure it was in the cellar when I used the Tory offices in the 90s

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Think those vestibules were just doors margaret and they were certainly there in the early 60s, but the stage was much higher as you say, must have been at least 5' high

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Yes I remember the stage being much higher.

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Yep that stage aint right to me fer the 60s, The photo must be dated wrong Al?:confused:

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Might be my memory playing tricks on me, but I'm sure they didn't have freestanding tables and chairs back in the day - just a row of tip-up seats fixed along the side and back walls.

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You're right , MargaretR. The stage was 4 to 5 foot high-I remember the MC running down the steps to separate you if you dared to dance with your bodies touching, even in a waltz! Times have changed.
So we were both regulars in the late 50s? Just think, we may have danced together- eat your heart out, Less.
I remember queuing up for the New Years Eve tickets-the queue went right down the steps and along the road-you just had to have tickets for that night.
Wyonie, you're right- almost everyone had to stand up, there were just seats along one or two of the walls- the girls all sat there, the boys all stood at the other side-it took a lot of courage to walk right across the empty dance floor to ask a girl for a dance and a lot more courage to walk back alone when she said 'No'.

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I noticed that wyn, just assumed it wasn't taken on a monday? Perhaps it was that way fer the sat night waltzes?:confused:

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Yes I would say the same for the early sixties.

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No, mate, it was like that Saturdays, as well...did you not go on Saturdays?

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In the early to middle 50s Alec Higgins played snooker on the Con club tables, you could not get into the snooker room when he played. In those times there was dancing Wednesday nights and Saturday nights as a post said long queue's for Christmas or New Year dance tickets we were lucky we had a mate who worked at the printers so no problem getting them. As far as after's was concerned nothing better than a 1d platform ticket and a warm empty railway carraige which was parked up for the night.

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Yea definantly no tables and chairs around the side.If it kicked off can you imagine the carnage!!I also seem to remember they wouldn't serve bottles over the bar in case you took them onto the dance floor.I remember the doors at either side of the stage. The one to the right led to the coffee bar,I think there was another door leading to the landing. The stage was higher which created a good atmosphere.
p.s.Wasn't mondays ladies night or something????

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Higgins was born in 1949, I went to Birmingham to watch him win the World title in 1972

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Stand corrected must have been sixtys with Alex.

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It was late 60s, He was living wi mate n i at the time.;)

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Best to avoid em now, most of ems dead.:D

Nah never went sats, usually too boiled from the footy.:D

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Hmmmm...that could explain a lot! :D

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Na they didn't Wyn, think that Photo was taken in the 80s, later on it was refurbished again and the stage was moved to the other end altogether, that was early 90s

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They didn't serve ale in the ball room period back in the 60s, well not on Monday or Saturday night, there was a soft drinks bar behind the stage. If you wanted a drink you had to be a member of the Middle Bar and you weren't allowed to take bottles or glasses through the door

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When he first came over from Ireland he live in a flat over a shop on catlow hall street in Ossy and his first Manager was a guy called Denis Broaderick, the last time I saw Alex was in Ossy Con one Saterday Lunch, with Denis, in the early 90s, he played a few of the lads in the snooker room, including yours truely

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He used to go all over the place and charged £25, he would take on the first team, beat them, raffle a cue and disappear having drunk about £50 worth of ale, never drove and was always late

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Yea I agree with all that, tip up seats, higher stage, they were wood & glass doors on the sides of the stage, Susan can't remember Jimmy Lightbown up the Con, maybe it wasnt cool enough for him. I cant recall where the records were played, was there a DJ, I cant remember anybody on the stage playing records, like they did at the Mecca.

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Yep Al there was a D.J. Think it was a small room behind the far corner of the stage, Never actually noticed it meself, But a lady ive known fer last 25 yrs or so,was the D.J. fer a while.Can recall a walkway i think behind stage just outa the dancehall, had a few tables etc, think i noticed it when yon, but never registered?

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I remember Eddie McGarrys Band that would be in the 50s any one else
Derek

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There was a small room at the right hand side as you faced the stage, were they played the records, beside Bernard (who was once the steward of the Jazz Club)I can't remember who played the records:confused:

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Syd Ashmead at the Ritz.

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Hate admitting this ( and I never did grass on him!!) but my brother was always getting involved in fights up the con.

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Yeah it,s here you went to ask for a request.....good songs for the girls you liked....bad songs for the ones you,d just dumped.......:rolleyes:

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I had quite a few requests up the Con n i was never the D.J. yon.:D But i always had a tie in me pocket lol

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Shoot .... great pub. And the chippy was the place to visist after a swim at the old baths ... suppose they are gone too.:(

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Think the baths is a car park now Eric

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Seem to remember a seven piece Stax band played a couple of times.

The sound of the horn section was really authentic

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Oh he did go there Alan, used to walk in about 9.00pm with his Jacket swung over his shoulder, twice round the room, one dance with me and other 'fortunates? then he'd disappear. I'm talking about 1964-65

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If you drive past the back of the con now you can see the ballroom ceiling through the missing windows:eek::eek::D

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The new open plan look:D

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Yep it keeps the pigeons out of the town centre so every cloud and all that:D

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The only thing is, seeing the buildings history (the second biggest Conservative club in England) and the part it played in the youth of so many people on here, it seems a crying shame that it has been left to decay in this way:(

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Too right John, it's criminal.

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I was in a group called the Manhattans (from Nelson) that worked the Con club in (I think) 59, but definately in 60/61 before we turned pro and went to Butlin's.
We didn't do a great amount of gigs in Accrington, mainly Nelson/Burnley/Blackburn/Manchester, - great room - killer stairs with the piano.
Alan

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...and there you are on Manchesterbeat, Alan! :)

The Manhattans on Manchesterbeat - the group and music scene of Manchester in the '60s

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Thanks for that, methinks you are a bit of a music buff Wynonie

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Very much so, but sadly can't play a note unlike yourself!

Incidentally, if you've not seen the Manchesterbeat site before, it's well worth having a shufty - quite a few East Lancs area bands on there.

The Con club - Gideons way
 

Hi, cant remember if I have ever posted this photo before?
Its Gideons Way who many on here remember from playing up "Accy Con"

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Me! :)

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The Scorchers as was?

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All those faces are familiar Atarah

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What were their names ?

Re: The Con club - Gideons way
 

From post 598 on Accy pop groups thread:

Ian Smith, rhythm guitar at the time and lived in Clayton. I live in Scotland now but keep in touch via the Accy web. Trevor Gardner was lead guitar, Dave Robinson on Bass, Jim Payne on Drums and Derek Rimmington on vocals.

That is if I'm right and GW were originally the Scorchers?

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Spot on Susie, Trev comes on here regular. so does Ian.

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Bye the way take a snec at the St Louis Union, on Manchesterbeat, they played Accy a few times.

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It's been on fire today

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well I heard there were 7 engines there, must have been some fire just wonder how much damage its done and more so how it started

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It must have been derelict inside .It's a wonder there was any dry stuff to catch fire.

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To be honest Max it was riddled with dry rot in the early nineties and would have taken hundreds of thousands of pounds to get rid of that's why they sold the club couldn't afford the upkeep

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Interesting article that Steve. I worked with the 70's version of the Manhattans a few times at various functions, Jack ( although he tened to be called John ) Graham and the 10ft tall Tony :D.

Presumably Glenn South is the same one who went on to become part of Vonny's Magic and eventually opened a club in Nelson called Vonny's and then I think it changed it's name to become the Midnight Club or something ( memory is going on that one lol ).

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Just remembered it was the Goodnight Club :)

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Dave, Manchesterbeat is well worth having a sneck at, as there are quite a few bands from your neck of the woods on it, like this lot, for instance:

59th Street Bridge on Manchesterbeat - the group and music scene of Manchester in the 60s

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You introduced me to Mancesterbeat years ago Wyn.

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Cracking site, Al, well worth taking a look at for Accywebbers who were out and about in the 60's.

Agree with you about St Louis Union. Their hit single, a cover of a Beatles' song didn't do 'em justice. Storming Soul/R&B band when they were playing live at places like Accy Con:

St Louis Union - respect - YouTube

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I see that it was set on fire around 1400 yesterday - just when the Police would be very busy elsewhere in town - coincidence?

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As Leroy Jethro Gibbs says, I don't believe in coincidences:D

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Is it to late to save?. If it were in Launceston, the council would do something, they pride the city with all the heritage buildings, nothing more than four story's high. Accy demolished a hell of a lot in the 60s, will they never learn. Look what they did to Blackburn.

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The trouble is Alan councils just don't have the kind of money needed to renovate these buildings

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The problem here Alan is that heritage can go back for many hundreds of years so a buildng like the Con Club not much more than 100 years old if that is pretty low priority. In Oz the heritage doesn't go back more than 200 years (correct me if I'm wrong) so there are probably fewer buildings to think about preserving.

Just looked at the English Heritage listing for the Con Club and it says "interior of little interest" so they wouldn't worry about the ballroom at all.

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I think the Con Club has a quite a special place in a lot of townsfolks hearts as many of them remember dancing there and going to "dos" of one kind or another. My parents met there and got together at a dance and I also went a few times for dances connected to school and then to work as a caterer sometimes.

It seems a shame to lose it to dereliction. Money for silly marble benches on Broadway and other white elephants around town can be found when necessary but when they just dont want to do something they hide behind the cries of "no money".

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Correct me if I'm wrong but surely one of the stumbling blocks here is that the building is not a "public" building as such and doesn't belong to the council but is in private hands. That means there would be more hoops to jump through if the council did decide they wanted to save the building.

Don't know if it's still a fashionable idea in architectural circles but recently one trend has been facadism - saving the front of a building and constructing a new one behind it. If the Con Club really is in such a bad state then this might be an idea as the front is the memorable bit. It might be cheaper in the long run than trying to renovate what is there already. I don't know, I'm not an expert in these matters, but I wonder if the idea has been given any thought.

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Perhaps one of our Accyweb "heritage" newhounds might have a photo of the state it's in after the fire.

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Don't know why but the idea of saving just the facade has me thinking of American westerns where the towns look real and then are just fronts held there by wooden props!

Never heard of it Sue - bit like cutting off your nose to save your face. Replacing solid stone with breeze blocks behind the scenes doesn't grab me as an idea.

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Facadism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Not sure that buildings like the Con Club would have solid stone behind the facade - probably more like the nineteenth century equivalent of breeze blocks.

We have an example of facadism in Lancaster - contoversial at the time of building a few years ago but the fuss seems to have died down now.

New Apartment Development at the old Bus Depot:: OS grid SD4862 :: Geograph Britain and Ireland - photograph every grid square!

Look at the other photos on this website for this gridsquare for more views of the development.

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Make a good Mosque

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Little need for that round here - those of the Muslim faith are few and far between. We do have a Polish church though!

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Dianne, this building would take some very serious money to put it back to its former glory and you have to ask what would a building like that be used for this day and age. Times have changed, people do different things, youngster would rather go to bars and pubs with entertainment, the days of Saturday night at the Con are from another age and won't be coming back, sad but all so true:(

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Well you are right susie, it isn't a public building, don't know who owns it, but I think it is protected by English Heritage, which is a toothless tiger really, its okay saying we can't lose these buildings but do sod all to help fund the upkeep, its the same with Rhyddings mill, that is dangerous and has been for years although the chimney has now been sorted, I think:confused:

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Yes, it is grade II listed by English Heritage but as I mentioned in post 86 they are only interested in the outside, for its streetscape value I guess. The inside is dismissed as unimportant.

AS far as I am aware the listing means that change of use etc is limited and also materials used in maintenance and renovation are strictly controlled. I don't there are any pressures on owners of listed properties as far as upkeep is concerned which is why so many are allowed to decay, probably in the hope they will fall down or have to be demolished thus freeing the land for more profitable development. Either that, or the time delays in obtaining planning permission caused by the building's being listed means that the building's decay is inevitable.

These remarks come from me as an ex-owner of a listed building: the house we lived in before we moved to Morecambe. So they are reasonably accurate I hope.

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Certainly wouldn't doubt you susie, EH is a thorn in everybody's side, its fine wanting to keep these old buildings but they do nothing to assist in the upkeep, which to me is wrong

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A Grade 2 listed building has to have the outside maintained in its original state and can only be changed inside with permission. I have some responsibility as a trustee for a Grade 2 building that was badly damaged by fire 4 years ago and we currently have permission to bring the inside up to modern day standards providing we put the external structure back as close to the original as we can. We are still jumping through hoops to allow that to happen though. Grade 2 star and Grade 1 are virtually impossible to alter at all.

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Never mind, all you spring chickens. Let's get serious with this memory thing. Who remembers dancing to Joe Loss and the like at the Con Club, as well as the regular Con Club band in the late 40's early 50's. The old fellow does!!!!!

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Joe Loss at Accy Con, think it was his brother Dead Loss:D