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News: Wigan Casino Plaque Unveiling


Drewtg

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fitting in the eyes of a good many, however it has been debated as to it's whereabouts which i understand, didn't impress an awful lot at the same time...perhaps the fund raising should have continued, whereby an obelisk WITH a plaque mounted on it could have been purchased and positioned OUTSIDE the mall. suppose the arguing will carry on until we're all pushing up daisies!

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Yes well done Drew.

I've never been back since the day it closed, always wanted to, just couldn't do it.

Pete. I went back to station road once.even though I said I would never go back. Me and a lady friend went for a walk one night from one of the Wigan maxines niters . Sat on the wall opposite where it used to be. One of the strangest and saddest night's of my life. Still makes me sad today thinking back.

Steve

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Considering going but if there's gonna be a load of council dignitaries then I will give it a miss.

The Council gave permission for an international iconic site to be bulldozed to make way for a bland unimpressive shopping centre. I sincerely hope the politicians responsible for the demolition will be absent. 

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Me and some friends went back when we took a detour en route to Morecombe Central Pier so would be around 83 maybe early 84 (I was away abroad during much of 84 and know it was before that period). To be honest I can' t really remember too much of what we saw that night, I think it was wasteland at that point, nothing had been built I don't think.

I remember that clip on the tv of some guy looking at the site when it was a car park for awhile I think?

Can anyone fill me in on what happened on the site chronologically after it burnt down (and that in itself seemed a bit of a coincidence didn't it - any gossip there?)

Occasionally get the urge to see what its like now, must be strange or maybe more normal for Wigan locals?

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Considering going but if there's gonna be a load of council dignitaries then I will give it a miss.

The Council gave permission for an international iconic site to be bulldozed to make way for a bland unimpressive shopping centre. I sincerely hope the politicians responsible for the demolition will be absent. 

No civic dignitaries will be there Mellorfull, deliberately chose Paul Mason as he is one of us who sweated it out on the floor.

This was achieved by us through public subscription, here and on Facebook.

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Guest vinceoneill

Well done to all who has made this happen. Blue plaques normally mark where people lived & died. The Casino lived & has never died

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Considering going but if there's gonna be a load of council dignitaries then I will give it a miss.

The Council gave permission for an international iconic site to be bulldozed to make way for a bland unimpressive shopping centre. I sincerely hope the politicians responsible for the demolition will be absent. 

I wonder how many of the so called dignitaries  couldn't wait for it to be closed down in the first place, and if they are so proud of it now-why the plaque had to be funded by donation ??

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Guest Dave Ward

I loved the place, went for years, but by the end it was a complete hazard to our health and safety. If there had ever been a fire in the place...c'mon, does any one remember a fire exit or even an extinguisher ?

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I loved the place, went for years, but by the end it was a complete hazard to our health and safety. If there had ever been a fire in the place...c'mon, does any one remember a fire exit or even an extinguisher ?

 

It had a built in sprinkler system with all the sweat dripping off the walls and ceilings.

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Guest Dave Ward

Everyone seemed to find an exit quick enough though when the squad turned up :lol:

Wigan DS - The bearded Starsky and fat Hutch, in the superbad Morris Marina 1.6L.
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Just returned from the unveiling of the plaque, it was good and no Council dignitaries.

Nice to see Russ & Richard at the same event and and Richard made a point of thanking Russ for the Casino opportunity that changed his life. 

Russ gave a quick rundown on the start of the Casino.

Paul Mason was eloquent about what the Casino meant to him as a young man.

Well done Drew.

I do like stories with happy endings...

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Just returned from the unveiling of the plaque, it was good and no Council dignitaries.

Nice to see Russ & Richard at the same event and and Richard made a point of thanking Russ for the Casino opportunity that changed his life. 

Russ gave a quick rundown on the start of the Casino.

Paul Mason was eloquent about what the Casino meant to him as a young man.

Well done Drew.

Yes and it was good to see some of the other DJs there as well

Dave Evison, Bri Rigby and Alan Caine where all there

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True enough Steve,  however , i thought the fire exit was on the right hand side of the stage just before you went up the stairs?  Remember one night the place had to be cleared due to a bomb scare around 1 am( turned out to be some locals mingling with the evacuated crowd to gain free admission ) first record on after the crowd re entered ,   Frankie(love man )Crocker   Ton Of Dynamite !           Went along this morning ,          A  suitable brief ceremony,  It is inside , however the curve of the shopping mall follows the old station rd so it is in exactly the correct position .                                                                                                                                         A million miles away from the wild nights of the seventies , but a small permanent blue plaque, marking the site.  Long overdue and highly appropriate.   I dont think i know you  Drew, but thanks for making the effort.

Edited by carty
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Guest Dave Ward

Dave. No one gave a toss then.

Steve

I know, (and nor did I give a toss for 7 years, I just wanted to get through the doors and dance to our music. I'm thinking back with a 2014 mindset ). By 1981, even if you were the most liberal of Engineers checking the suitability of the Casino building for the safety of 2,000 young people, you wouldn't have 'Signed on the Dotted Line "

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I know, (and nor did I give a toss for 7 years, I just wanted to get through the doors and dance to our music. I'm thinking back with a 2014 mindset ). By 1981, even if you were the most liberal of Engineers checking the suitability of the Casino building for the safety of 2,000 young people, you wouldn't have 'Signed on the Dotted Line "

 

I agree entirely Dave. The Casino was a cash cow but none of it ever got reinvested in any kind of improvements. I dread to think what it would have been like if a fire broke out on a night when the building was rammed?

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dont think many would of survived a fire in there,remember the night of the complete power failure?.., seemed ages, no music, lights, absolute pitch blackness. ,.very scary, i panicked i was walking round the balcony at the time, and stood on a few bodies/heads on my way back down.

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I went back about twenty years ago..on a whim as i was on route to Scotland. Shocked and upset as i hadn't realised it had been totally demolished and replaced with a temporary porta cabin type thing (before the Mall went up) .Took a few pics, and left with a very sad feeling. Any memorial is better than nothing..(and credit to those who organised it) but i think an obelisk or similar would have been better...ah, what a great place..

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I went back about twenty years ago..on a whim as i was on route to Scotland. Shocked and upset as i hadn't realised it had been totally demolished and replaced with a temporary porta cabin type thing (before the Mall went up) .Took a few pics, and left with a very sad feeling. Any memorial is better than nothing..(and credit to those who organised it) but i think an obelisk or similar would have been better...ah, what a great place..

 

Obelisk? See Freud and monuments to our penises :)

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Guest gordon russell

funny the amount of folk who,ve never been back and never wanted to.........always remeber the last time l went 1977.....dark,cold and pouring with rain in the morning.....looked back through the rear window of the car ....to see smokey from st Helens stood in the doorway of the beachcomber.....no one else about.....he was the last thing l saw on that morning.........never been back  and like so many never want to......although i,ve been to nighters in wigan since.

Edited by gordon russell
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I loved the place, went for years, but by the end it was a complete hazard to our health and safety. If there had ever been a fire in the place...c'mon, does any one remember a fire exit or even an extinguisher ?

Fire exit through Mr M's... Fire extinguisher, roll on the floor of the gents bogs, or maybe not... The place was full of smoke all the time anyway but no one bothered. Anyone know the ID of the councillor who burned the place down to speed up planning approval for the Civic Centre extension?

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