Wigan_casino_memories_greatest_allnighter

Wigan casino allnighter 1973 to 1981

homepage

Almost every member was a teenager or in there early 20's going home was a subject never mentioned at all. I was just remembering the times the other day. I had a CSE exam at 9 am Monday it was 2.15 am Monday morning. I was listening to Shelia Antony "living in love" in Sheffield at a flat the exam had no interest to me at the time. As I had no way of getting to my Kidderminster home in time you put the thoughts of doing the exam out of your mind. I woke up on a Monday morning in beds all over the north west & east, Nottingham, Yorkshire, Hertfordshire, and a list of other places. With girls I had known since Friday or Saturday night but where now the best girl you had ever met in your life. Because she had said you where a good dancer you now loved her for that week anyway. The casino was never a place you fell in love at. I became very affectionate and if it had been later in life. I would of fell in love and maybe looked at a longer relationship. But at that particular time. It never seemed to be expected or in most cases wanted.
It was'nt a case of using girls for sex either you where together. Having the best time imaginable when the night finished. Neither of you wanted it to end. So went to a flat discussed the night but ended up in bed but felt hyper active still. Partners at home seemed unimportant but satisfying the need then was greater. A long session of unreserved sex was often the next step. Nothing sordid it was 2 young people satisfying there needs at that particular time. You often remembered the time of passion you shared but partners out of sight also. Where out of mind what the eye does'nt see the heart does'nt grieve about was the important thing.
Wigan casino was'nt a place to fall in love just 2 teenagers doing what the precise moment in time required. As you never promised any kind of long term commitment you remained friends even had a number of other sex sessions together. But when you went home it was all in the past just went to your normal partner. It was'nt really sordid or the girls some old minger or 25 past 10. But the whole place was so charged with emotion you could'nt keep it bottled up.

   It is apparent to anybody with a brain cell. That Wigan casino was such a perfect place for so many attributes it would happen once. Since 1981 even thou I have attended numerous events. Not 1 got anywhere close to being as good as Wigan casino, it was as rare as rocking horse s***. The venue for 1 they announce King's hall Stoke the new Wigan casino. In who's opinion it is nothing like it at all ok some of the records are the same. I like Kings hall as a venue from this millennium. I've got some really happy memories from Kings hall a few years ago. But they happened in life not because of it. It's biggest fault is the crowd concentrate there attention far to early in the event. When it gets to 4am the dance floor at times is deserted.
   This must make it a heartless task for the DJ's to generate any atmosphere. With the entire dance floor acting like they cant wait for the end. But fair play to the DJ's that have given the service they have. In what must be a thank less task of getting uninterested people off there ass and dancing. Been some great music played right at the end the last few times I've been to Stoke. However you want to look at it King's hall, in Stoke is nothing in compare Wigan casino to. Besides Kev Roberts a very valued dj at the casino Dave Evison the no1 dj in northern soul in the world

the record content was the best

The music played at allnighters was very exclusive content. A lot of people say it was played at Cleethorpes or another allnighter. A long time before the casino. In most cases this was rubbish it was sour grapes. From people who failed to get attention in the no1 arena. So went to another venue that never had the casino's higher class members. Where they could make a better impact on people. Take it from me Wigan casino had the best venue, records, and dj's bar none. I went to almost every other venue at the time at some stage. The dance floor in all cases where nowhere near as good. The other allnighter's never had the atmosphere the casino had. Almost every allnighter like st Ives + Yate where much smaller and newer. Lacking the vastness and character only found in the casino. I'm not implying other clubs where not as good. I had some great nights at both Yate + st Ives along with most other clubs in the 1970's. The standard was excellent at every event held at the time.
Unfortunately no other place got anywhere near Wigan casino. I'm only referring to the early years before the outside world got involved. When it remained a underground escape from normality. A long time before the item many where trying to avoid. Got an invitation to come and join them. No where to run nowhere to hide. People where quite happy to make money from it. But had never tried to even understand the concept of why they got a large crowd every time it was run.

Wigan casino's status as no1

you always felt equal no class divide segragation

There where many attributes that came together at the particular moment. That made Wigan casino the best allnighter ever held in the UK. You could'nt point to a single thing and say it was that. In retrospect the closure of the Torch prior to Wigan casino's opening was a major benefit to the Wigan casino success story. But it must then be questioned. If the Torch had remained would Wigan casino have ever been opened. Nobody can state it as 100% right as the scenario never happened when the Torch closed leaving a big demand for another venue. The hindsight of local DJ Russ Winstanley to a perfect solution when he saw the Empress ballroom empty in his hometown of Wigan was a perfect answer. Even to the point of using many of the Torch's DJ's like Martyn Ellis, Keith Minsull, and Dave Evison to play mostly the records popular at the Torch where now echoing round Wigan casino.
The casino never reached the mutually exclusive status it reached until 1975 in my opinion. Maybe a lot of the early records came from other clubs. The Catacomb's, the Torch, and strangely enough Ian Levine. All put in big chunks of records that got associated with the casino far more than should of been. But as soon as it came to the casino it never left it. Other big allnighters at the time tried to convince everybody they where better than Wigan casino. I have been to them all take it from me none of the rest got near to Wigan casino's dominance as the best. I went to Cleethorpes, Yate , st Ives, and almost every other in the 1970's.

The friendly network to defend all

In 2011 you often go to an event. But your never sure it will be good. You no longer have the new element of surprise at all. The lets play this to see the reaction from the dancefloor as gone. It is no longer the time to experiment but stick with known records. It filled the dance floor last week when it got played by the dj. So every dj this week plays it. By about 3.30 am the crowd as just got fed up with hearing it. There must be 1000's of great records but they stick to a few. You never had this in the 70's each record got the crowd going it was fresh. Oldies and new records got the venue heaving with atmosphere. When the record was near the end, excitement grew for what was next. At times a record got over played. But it was still a dance floor filler as every night was like the last day you'd be alive. So you wanted to make sure you enjoyed it fully. There seems to be no real characters anymore to get motivation going. At 70's clubs you got real people that talked, many got that bad you could'nt shut them up. So just going to find your imaginery friend was common. There soon got a list compiled of regular members who never knew when to shut up. But it was never malicious just said in a humorous way. It ran on a basis of friendly banter. There where people known as bad for theft or ripping people off. The one thing the casino had was a network that was so fast. Word got there faster than people could it was'nt very effective to search a person in the main room. Then head for mr M's to search the people there they knew before you finished that search. At times as the DS pulled some member up. The word went to the balcony, mr M's, to the car park. As the long stair case was ambush alley some nights.

   It is now March 2011 30 years since the Wigan casino allnighter closed. But many people still come up with some fantastic tales. How they where some kind of example to the rest. I have heard so many complete lies it makes me wonder. I danced by the stage on the left by the men's toilet not once but for a number of years. Sandy Holt and other Manchester area faces tended to be on the opposite side. It was'nt some kind of segregation of Manchester and Wolverhampton. I would speak to Sandy I still do. Others from the midlands would dance on the right. I seem to remember Gethro always danced over the right side. But I preferred the left Peter Kadic a very good friend danced near he was from Blackburn. Dave Fisher, Mona, from Alfreton Derbyshire and Lainnie from Redditch. All seemed to favour that place.
   There was no hatred campaign between the north-west and midlands that was rubbish. The only rivalry was on the dancefloor or the smartest dressed nothing physical I can remember. The competition remained on the dancing and dress not the ability to fight. Both area's had people who looked like they could take care of themselves. But other than the battles with the punk rockers never had to. The casino revolved around it's electric energy charged friendly atmosphere. The only need for the door staff was to stop people sneaking into the allnighter free. Or in the later years to chuck the barbed up idiots out of the allnighter.
   The big media invasion of Wigan casino. Also signalled the death of it as well. Up until then it was still a very much hidden world word of mouth was still evident as the best form of recommendation for the best events. When "this England" was screened on TV after a big vote of no to it. By the casino regulars the week before it was filmed in the casino. I was embarrassed to admit I was on it. Nothing shown had anything to portray the real reason why over a 1000 teenagers where drawn to Wigan. From all over the UK every week an event was on there. If you don't understand it dismiss it.
   The amount of arguments I had with people on the M6. Being left on the hard-shoulder late on a winters night. Was a guaranteed way to get a lift. People just had such stupid views of Wigan casino they would not discuss it what they knew was right. I was bought up to defend my opinion to the end. I will admit I was a little bit of a handful then. We all got to the age when you knew best. I never left it what I thought was it agree or keep away from me altogether. I have never been known for having multiple choice answer's. Just 1 mine. It is always your decision to disagree with me. I'm not right all the time but when I know I'm right. Nothing you do will ever change my mind.
   I've had people try to convince me I'm wrong. In the end I found out they where not there themselves. But someone there cousin knew said I was wrong. So let them tell me I'm wrong. Not some half assed git who was'nt there anyway so argue on somebody else's say so. Unless you have first hand knowledge meaning you saw it. Your whole point is lost to start with. In other words sod off and annoy somebody else instead of me. Irritants get on my nerves

   It remain's my opinion today the same as it did at the time. OK in the eye's of the law taking amphetamine's is illegal and a large percent of the people there. Where breaking the law but in what context would have to be clarified more as some people there did'nt even realise they had broken the law. So to list some people as law breaking yobs was in my opinion unjust. They saw others doing it quite openly at times they where nieve enough to think it was a normal recreational pastime. Even the people like me who where aware it was illegal the aspect of law breaking. Was 0pen to interpretation as for most I was'nt a supplier at the time I only took amphetamines to boost my stamina to dance. I had a full time job. So every time I went to allnighters it was financed by my wages. At the time almost all amphetamines where obtained and taken before reaching Wigan. The 1960's had created a silent underground network for supply and demand. If you wanted to ask around your hometown every town and city in the UK had someone who knew a man who could get you some. So even thou a majority of people there had taken stimulants a minority had purchased or taken them in Wigan. It was the time of underground network connections who you Knew was how it happened. To the best of my knowledge there was'nt any big pushers at the time but a strong word of mouth. If a supply of good amphetamines was available in Leeds or anywhere else. Word went out and people did'nt get some for others at a profit. It was there that week mostly from burglaries at chemist shops so SK+F and Riker. Being top pharmaceutical manufacturer's there products where used at allnighters every event staged. Another good source of supply was people who had attended previous allnighters knew how the scene worked and was happy to pass on there sources of supply.

   There is no doubt in my mind. The casino allnighter would only happen once. A repeat would be met with so much resistance from the local police. It just would'nt be allowed to get a licence the ancient bye laws that enabled the casino to stage allnighters. Have been gone through by Government legal teams to take away loopholes that allowed the Twisted wheel, the GoldenTorch, and Wigan casino to use them to stage allnighters. Let's face it the fun as been taken out of life. Now a clinical no way round it policy as replaced the way you got round things. Life today is so different to the relaxing environment of the 1960's I grew up in. A regular event staged every week of the year with widespread lawbreaking must of either been over looked. Or the drugs squad's presence was by officers naive to the scale it was taking place. More or less under there nose, the amount of drugs squad at each allnighter and the fact it followed 2 clubs renown for it's members using amphetamines to boost the tolerance for 8 hour gruelling dance sessions. I'm not in the position to tell the reader. But will just have to let the reader come to his or hers own conclusion.

Wigan casino faces

mrs Woods a cashier on the entrance. Who knew much
more than she let people know.

   Some of my friends at the time of Wigan casino seen at the back. Are Sid Holland + Martin Randle
-