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Cleethorpes Winter Gardens -it's All Over -official

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Worse fears came to pass today with the end of the 'Redundancy Consultation Period' (allegedly A.K.A. 'we're going to be making you all redundant in 3 months time but we'll just prolong the agony a bit and leave you in limbo in the faint hope of keeping your job'. The 'Consultation Period' (ahem) finished yesterday and today, guess what? The place has been boarded up and the locks have been changed.

I drove down The Kingsway at lunchtime in the forlorn hope that minds might have been changed and that a mystery soul millionaire might have bought the place out of pure philanthropy and handed it over to the Soulies of the world to pass on to future genereations. But no. Just builders vans, a radio & TV crew, Big Al outside looking exceedingly sad and a lone picket with a 'save the winter Gardens' placard. Attached is a picture of the sad scene. "Lunchtime. Cleethorpes Winter Gardens. 12th February, 2007"

post-1213-1171308556_thumb.jpg

Big thanks to all the Winter Gardens staff for letting us indulge in our dreams over the years. To Big Al, Janet, Jenny, Di, David, John & all the crew for letting us share the Winter Gardens with them. And to Jimmy Jackson and Ian Galloway (in the past) for giving us enough slack to enjoy our scene in our odd little ways. Jimmy and Ian, you were sometimes buggers to deal with, but we all loved you really.

I am proud to be able to say that I ran the Northern and Modern Soul do's in the Winter Gardens Ballroom from my first in 1992 (with Gig, Sue, Ashley & Loz) to my last in November last year. 15 years of soul, and I loved every minute (well, nearly every minute!). Thanks to those who came to any of my do's during that time, whether you enjoyed it or not at least thanks for coming and trying it. We had some great do's (For me, the Dean Parrish All Dayer can never be topped), we had some not so great do's. But at least we always tried.

Good times, bad times. We've had them all..........

Anyway. It's All Over :(

Keep The faith. Keep The Fires Burning

Steve

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Oooh Steve.....

I just looked at the picture close up... and am actually bleary eyed... (no, teary eyed).

Was the building ever actually offered up for sale btw?

Sean

One of the doormen told me last week that the owners are hoping to cash in on the memorabilia market by auctioning anything they think might have a value. Don't think the wife would let me put the sign up in the front room though.

Great picture Steve in really brings it home that 'It's All Over'
:wicked:

Kev

Steve

hope you rescued your big tamla sign you had on the stage, had some great nights down at the winter Gardens even better when we did nt pay :(

,you are a star and you were never stressed :yes:

Dean Parrish was one of your finest moments. :yes:

Cheers mate hope you find another venue to continue in your own inevitable style :wicked::lol:

  • Author

Oooh Steve.....

I just looked at the picture close up... and am actually bleary eyed... (no, teary eyed).

Was the building ever actually offered up for sale btw?

Sean

Ey up Sean

No, the place was sold to the Ramsden Family (local business people) a few years ago. From what i was told at the time, the staff were told to show them that the place could be a stand alone, profitable concern and then to see how it goes from there. (All allegedly of course!). From a purely business point of view, you don't have to be a genius to work out that, with today's competition, the changing of the licencing laws etc, it was always going to be a tough ask to make the old place work purely business wise. I would assume that the place is much more valuable as a development site.

Still, it would have been nice to see one of our Soul Millionaires do an Abramovich on it though. HEY!!! Maybe there's still time! Millionaire's of the soul world!! Unite!! You have nothing to lose but your chains!! (oops! Sorry! Wrong struggle.......) You know who you are (WE know who a few of you are!). Come on, become a soul philanthropist! You'd be a legend on the scene forever, guaranteed! Instant Immortality!! :wicked:

Steve

  • Author

One of the doormen told me last week that the owners are hoping to cash in on the memorabilia market by auctioning anything they think might have a value. Don't think the wife would let me put the sign up in the front room though.

Great picture Steve in really brings it home that 'It's All Over'
:wicked:

Kev

  • Author

One of the doormen told me last week that the owners are hoping to cash in on the memorabilia market by auctioning anything they think might have a value. Don't think the wife would let me put the sign up in the front room though.

Great picture Steve in really brings it home that 'It's All Over'
:wicked:

Kev

Kev there's still a few things of mine in there!! Couldn't get in to get them today, I'll have to try again tomorrow.... I'll probably end up having to buy them back on e bay!

Steve

  • Author

Steve

hope you rescued your big tamla sign you had on the stage, had some great nights down at the winter Gardens even better when we did nt pay :(

,you are a star and you were never stressed :yes:

Dean Parrish was one of your finest moments. :yes:

Cheers mate hope you find another venue to continue in your own inevitable style :wicked::lol:

Cheers TC, Dean Parrish was just fantastic. As was the night when Yorkshire TV turned up with the full film crew the year before! As I know you (and a whole lot of others) know, a whole lot of soul happened at Cleethorpes Winter Gardens in the last 15 years! :yes:

The big Tamla sign is still locked in there, off to try to re-possess it tomorrow! If it turns up on e bay I'm gonna be a tad displeased! :yes:

On the new venue front..... Watch this space!! :lol:

Steve

Cheers TC, Dean Parrish was just fantastic. As was the night when Yorkshire TV turned up with the full film crew the year before! As I know you (and a whole lot of others) know, a whole lot of soul happened at Cleethorpes Winter Gardens in the last 15 years! :(

The big Tamla sign is still locked in there, off to try to re-possess it tomorrow! If it turns up on e bay I'm gonna be a tad displeased! :yes:

On the new venue front..... Watch this space!! :wicked:

Steve

Sad days indeed .....

The WG will - deservedly - go down in the history of the UK soul scene for the contribution it played in it .

The " send off " staged by Ian Paling recently , was a fitting tribute and farewell to the place .

Malc Burton

Worse fears came to pass today with the end of the 'Redundancy Consultation Period' (allegedly A.K.A. 'we're going to be making you all redundant in 3 months time but we'll just prolong the agony a bit and leave you in limbo in the faint hope of keeping your job'. The 'Consultation Period' (ahem) finished yesterday and today, guess what? The place has been boarded up and the locks have been changed.

I drove down The Kingsway at lunchtime in the forlorn hope that minds might have been changed and that a mystery soul millionaire might have bought the place out of pure philanthropy and handed it over to the Soulies of the world to pass on to future genereations. But no. Just builders vans, a radio & TV crew, Big Al outside looking exceedingly sad and a lone picket with a 'save the winter Gardens' placard. Attached is a picture of the sad scene. "Lunchtime. Cleethorpes Winter Gardens. 12th February, 2007"

post-1213-1171308556_thumb.jpg

Big thanks to all the Winter Gardens staff for letting us indulge in our dreams over the years. To Big Al, Janet, Jenny, Di, David, John & all the crew for letting us share the Winter Gardens with them. And to Jimmy Jackson and Ian Galloway (in the past) for giving us enough slack to enjoy our scene in our odd little ways. Jimmy and Ian, you were sometimes buggers to deal with, but we all loved you really.

I am proud to be able to say that I ran the Northern and Modern Soul do's in the Winter Gardens Ballroom from my first in 1992 (with Gig, Sue, Ashley & Loz) to my last in November last year. 15 years of soul, and I loved every minute (well, nearly every minute!). Thanks to those who came to any of my do's during that time, whether you enjoyed it or not at least thanks for coming and trying it. We had some great do's (For me, the Dean Parrish All Dayer can never be topped), we had some not so great do's. But at least we always tried.

Good times, bad times. We've had them all..........

Anyway. It's All Over :thumbsup:

Keep The faith. Keep The Fires Burning

Steve

Hi Steve

So it's finally happened. Some wicked memories of the Winter Gardens - including your fifteen years, and many years before that. I met one of my finest ever girl friends there! Some of the best days of my life.

Thanks for all the stuff you put on - I share some of your music tastes.

Try and keep the membership going in readiness for the next venue.

Cheers Mate.

Peter

One of the doormen told me last week that the owners are hoping to cash in on the memorabilia market by auctioning anything they think might have a value. Don't think the wife would let me put the sign up in the front room though.

Great picture Steve in really brings it home that 'It's All Over'
:thumbsup:

Kev

I proposed to my wife in one those corner alcoves in the main room. As a joke (I hope) she said the other day you ought to nip down there and get that... yeah right, Mind you with Valentines day tommorow it might be a great suprise :thumbsup: .

So many memories from there , it`s a real shame to see this happening to the old place. Were going for a walk down the sea front later today, might see if I can get owt ( not that corner unit)

Trev

Edited by Coxy

I proposed to my wife in one those corner alcoves in the main room. As a joke (I hope) she said the other day you ought to nip down there and get that... yeah right, Mind you with Valentines day tommorow it might be a great suprise :thumbsup: .

So many memories from there , it`s a real shame to see this happening to the old place. Were going for a walk down the sea front later today, might see if I can get owt ( not that corner unit)

Trev

Go on - you know you want that corner unit! :thumbsup:

Go on - you know you want that corner unit! :thumbsup:

Anyone got a van I can borrow :thumbsup::thumbsup: Im just an old romantic :(

Edited by Coxy

Anyone got a van I can borrow :thumbsup::thumbsup: Im just an old romantic :(

I was "casing the joint" the other Saturday. The Chandeliers - I know I can;t spell, seemed a good bet. Can't help but think of that episode of Fools and Horses though!

I think I must know you Coxy?

:thumbsup:

  • Author

Worse fears came to pass today with the end of the 'Redundancy Consultation Period' (allegedly A.K.A. 'we're going to be making you all redundant in 3 months time but we'll just prolong the agony a bit and leave you in limbo in the faint hope of keeping your job'. The 'Consultation Period' (ahem) finished yesterday and today, guess what? The place has been boarded up and the locks have been changed.

Follow this link for the local news on the Gardens. You can add your comments to the Grimsby Evening Telegraph bulletin board if you feel like it?.........

https://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/displayNode...tentPK=16631184

Cheers

Steve

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