The Casino (Leigh)
The Casino Ballroom in Silk Street, Leigh, Lancashire opened on Wednesday, August 24, 1955 by 21-year-old singer Margaret Turner (b. 1934) of Brookfield Street, Leigh and Johnny Prior and the Casino Ballroom Orchestra.
It was opened by Bob Brown (b. Robert Brown) of Wigan. The Ballroom was owned by Joe Brierley (b. Joseph Brierley) and Mrs. Winnie Brierley.
The Beat Boys (on Mondays), The Beatles, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, and The Hollies played here.
John H. Warburg - June 2023
1972 I was a trainee architect in central Manchester. The firm got the job of providing drawings for the builder re-fitting after it burned out. It was a very large hall with balconies all round and a full proscenium stage at one end.
I was left to my own devices and went crazy and it got built. A huge space frame hauled up to the roof with smooth shiny aluminium foil covered panels on top (milk-bottle top foil), and several rows of hung scaffolding the full length with door blanks covered in the foil spinning along them. All full of lights. I never saw it finished but it did all go in.
Anyone remember it?
David Lees - 21/2/13
Great night out in the early 1970’s. Popular groups included Mud and Stoney End (Jenny Darren). The local paper advertised the week’s acts and, on Friday, ‘something special for the gentlemen’.
Later Cleo’s disco opened upstairs. Paddy Shaw and Maurice H were the DJs and played Northern Soul records that some regulars had picked up at The Golden Torch and Blackpool Mecca. Fabulous venue.
Later became Reubens and Edwin Starr was always a popular attraction. Since demolished and now a block of flats.
David Brown - 20/10/13
Comments
It was 1957 the first time I entered with another teenager of similar age and, like me he was about 5'-9 or 10 dressed in a blue suit, Jacket and trousers, clean shirt and fancy ties. He was a disc jockey in a hall in Lowton. We were both blonde which turned out to be popular because of Tommy Steele, and, I learned most of his songs. Eventually I left Leigh and joined the RAF and after working on 2 or three bases I was Posted to RAF Butzweilerhof for approximately three years. I left the RAF 1967 in Doncaster, South Yorkshire.
I get to Leigh occasionally and I find it so hard to believe how all these years have flown.
Best wishes to all those I met in Leigh from, Joe Baron