Wigan Main Hall Into Mr M's

[Guest]

Talking in the pub the other night about Wigan Casino.

My memory is not as clear as it was, but I remember when you wanted to go into Mr Ms from the main hall you had to go up to the main hall left hand balcony, then through into a room before going into the doors for M's.

The room had two double sets of doors that brought you out either side of the dj stand in M's. It also had stairs leading up to the balconies, that usually had people sitting on them.

Is that right how I remember it?

Edited January 13, 2010 by Guest

[Billywhizz]

Talking in the pub the other night about Wigan Casino.

My memory is not as clear as it was, but when you wanted to go into Mr Ms from the main hall you had to go up to the main hall left hand balcony, then through into a room before going into the doors for M's.

The room had two double sets of doors that brought you out either side of the dj stand in M's. It also had stairs leading up to the balconies. Is this right?

o; so; yes memorys

[Russ Vickers]

Always danced on the balcony in M's on that bit of hard board, bits of ceiling falling off below !.

Russ

[Pete S]

Talking in the pub the other night about Wigan Casino.

My memory is not as clear as it was, but when you wanted to go into Mr Ms from the main hall you had to go up to the main hall left hand balcony, then through into a room before going into the doors for M's.

The room had two double sets of doors that brought you out either side of the dj stand in M's. It also had stairs leading up to the balconies. Is this right?

That description was so vivid I could actually remember it like it was yesterday, funny how you totally forget things then it just comes flooding back to you.

[Guest martyn]

Talking in the pub the other night about Wigan Casino.

My memory is not as clear as it was, but I remember when you wanted to go into Mr Ms from the main hall you had to go up to the main hall left hand balcony, then through into a room before going into the doors for M's.

The room had two double sets of doors that brought you out either side of the dj stand in M's. It also had stairs leading up to the balconies, that usually had people sitting on them.

Is that right how I remember it?

Spot on , I don't remember where the stairs were though even though I remember comming down them .Also , remember the corridor at the far end of Ms with the bogs in ? Scary place that .I think I remember going into another room beyond that corridor one night , though I could be wrong ???

[Paul R]

Talking in the pub the other night about Wigan Casino.

My memory is not as clear as it was, but I remember when you wanted to go into Mr Ms from the main hall you had to go up to the main hall left hand balcony, then through into a room before going into the doors for M's.

The room had two double sets of doors that brought you out either side of the dj stand in M's. It also had stairs leading up to the balconies, that usually had people sitting on them.

Is that right how I remember it?

For the first year of the Casino, that corner at the top of the stairs was where the Ormskirk & Southport crowd used to congregate

I think this is there with M's door to the right of Hilgs(from N Wales RIP)

We thought that the actual casino type gambleing bit was probably behind those padded doors . Once Ms opened some of our crowd went in there, others like myself just wandered around allnight verballing to whoever wanted to listen!

Paul

[Harry Crosby]

Spot on , I don't remember where the stairs were though even though I remember comming down them .Also , remember the corridor at the far end of Ms with the bogs in ? Scary place that .I think I remember going into another room beyond that corridor one night , though I could be wrong ???

That little room between the main hall & mr m`s was a SCARY place,

[Paul R]

That little room between the main hall & mr m`s was a SCARY place,

Anyone remember Sammy & Grant with their little mob?. I was sitting in that room one night, & someone had told one of the goons that I had been selling chalkies & I had loads of money on me. He sat down next to me and pushed an open flick knife blade against my waist. Of course I shit myself & denied any involvement in the drugs trade. He wouldn't go until I gave him a quid...... Good job he didn't search me and found the rest of the money & stash . The next week, I was sitting on the stairs near the record bar verballing to someone and the goon came past, showed me his new flick knife & gave me a red & brown result!....sort of .

Paul

[Guest little glyn]

Anyone remember Sammy & Grant with their little mob?. I was sitting in that room one night, & someone had told one of the goons that I had been selling chalkies & I had loads of money on me. He sat down next to me and pushed an open flick knife blade against my waist. Of course I shit myself & denied any involvement in the drugs trade. He wouldn't go until I gave him a quid...... Good job he didn't search me and found the rest of the money & stash . The next week, I was sitting on the stairs near the record bar verballing to someone and the goon came past, showed me his new flick knife & gave me a red & brown result!....sort of .

Paul

can,t believe this is the same innocent faced paul r i know just goes to show never assume you thought you knew ALL about someone.

nice pic of hilgs a real niceguy

glyn and lesley

[Guest martyn]

Anyone remember Sammy & Grant with their little mob?. I was sitting in that room one night, & someone had told one of the goons that I had been selling chalkies & I had loads of money on me. He sat down next to me and pushed an open flick knife blade against my waist. Of course I shit myself & denied any involvement in the drugs trade. He wouldn't go until I gave him a quid...... Good job he didn't search me and found the rest of the money & stash . The next week, I was sitting on the stairs near the record bar verballing to someone and the goon came past, showed me his new flick knife & gave me a red & brown result!....sort of .

Paul

Makes you wonder really what planet Mr Winstanley was on for 8 years if he truely belives the drivel he's written on the Casino . People would think it was full of hippys throwing flowers about after reading his book .I had some wonderful nights at The Casino & met some cracking people , but there was at times a dark side & you just had to keep your head down ....................Specialy in that room & the corridor at the back of Ms

[Guest martyn]

That little room between the main hall & mr m`s was a SCARY place,

If you think not ,you must have been one of those scary people

[Guest proudlove]

If you think not ,you must have been one of those scary people

Boo

Did anybody jump?

[Mark S]

We came from stockport nowt scared us apart from Russ,s moustache

I remember leaving the Casino one morning via Ms out onto a street behind the club .

The room was a kind of lobby area we used to sit there waiting for Ms to open

[Hornet]

i thought the back of ms was the way the djs smuggled their mates in 4 a box of cakes !!

[Guest proudlove]

We came from stockport nowt scared us apart from Russ,s moustache

I remember leaving the Casino one morning via Ms out onto a street behind the club .

The room was a kind of lobby area we used to sit there waiting for Ms to open

Spent a fair few Saturdays in Adswood planning the evenings goings on.....................

[Julie Moore]

ONLY VENTURED IN A FEW TIMES WITH MY BIG BRO`S WAS VERY VERY SCARY

[Mark S]

Spent a fair few Saturdays in Adswood planning the evenings goings on.....................

See scared of nowt and what wonderfull goings on they were

[Davetay]

Anyone remember Sammy & Grant with their little mob?. I was sitting in that room one night, & someone had told one of the goons that I had been selling chalkies & I had loads of money on me. He sat down next to me and pushed an open flick knife blade against my waist. Of course I shit myself & denied any involvement in the drugs trade. He wouldn't go until I gave him a quid...... Good job he didn't search me and found the rest of the money & stash . The next week, I was sitting on the stairs near the record bar verballing to someone and the goon came past, showed me his new flick knife & gave me a red & brown result!....sort of .

Paul

I remember Sammy & Grant well, before they knew me I was one on their victims.

It was about 7 or 8 weeks after Wigan 1st opened, in the Beachcomber used to go down on bus back than.

Got into Wigan about 12.30am Wigan it self not open till 2.00am, used to go in Beachcomber 1st.

They got my drugs off me, but not my money (stuffed down undies not got out till in record bar).

Anyway a few months later got friendly with them.

I bumped into Grant last year and he told me Sammy was now dead.

Dave.

Edited January 15, 2010 by davetay

[Davetay]

Boo

Did anybody jump?

Everbody.

[Wicked]

For the first year of the Casino, that corner at the top of the stairs was where the Ormskirk & Southport crowd used to congregate

I think this is there with M's door to the right of Hilgs(from N Wales RIP)

We thought that the actual casino type gambleing bit was probably behind those padded doors . Once Ms opened some of our crowd went in there, others like myself just wandered around allnight verballing to whoever wanted to listen!

Paul

[Wicked]

Hilgs from North Wales, now there was a cool guy, I first knew him when I was a baby skinhead in Paynes Cafe Royal in Llandudno.

[Ian Parker]

Am I right in thinking that there were a few steps from the lobby/corridor area into Mr M's door? I seem to recall sitting on them one night waiting for 3am

[Guest LDB]

Was there not 3 of those idiots?? I was caught once by them, just convinced them I only had my train ticket and 50P, what they never knew was the 20 quid stuffed down me duds!!!!

[grant]

Spent a fair few Saturdays in Adswood planning the evenings goings on.....................

we planned ours in cheadle hulme

[grant]

Anyone remember Sammy & Grant with their little mob?. I was sitting in that room one night, & someone had told one of the goons that I had been selling chalkies & I had loads of money on me. He sat down next to me and pushed an open flick knife blade against my waist. Of course I shit myself & denied any involvement in the drugs trade. He wouldn't go until I gave him a quid...... Good job he didn't search me and found the rest of the money & stash . The next week, I was sitting on the stairs near the record bar verballing to someone and the goon came past, showed me his new flick knife & gave me a red & brown result!....sort of .

Paul

not this Grant btw

[manus]

Anyone remember Sammy & Grant with their little mob?. I was sitting in that room one night, & someone had told one of the goons that I had been selling chalkies & I had loads of money on me. He sat down next to me and pushed an open flick knife blade against my waist. Of course I shit myself & denied any involvement in the drugs trade. He wouldn't go until I gave him a quid...... Good job he didn't search me and found the rest of the money & stash . The next week, I was sitting on the stairs near the record bar verballing to someone and the goon came past, showed me his new flick knife & gave me a red & brown result!....sort of .

Paul

I was in the toilets once when that crowd came in - they stopped a guy and one of them asked him if he had a hankerchief spare - the guy pulls out a cloth hankerchief and says sorry I've only got this - it was taken from his hand ripped in half and half given back to him.

There were a few jokers who hung around in Ms and once they brought a kettle in with them and one of them walked up to this young guy who was dancing and said will you hang onto this for a minute - and then they all headed off to laugh their head off as the poor guy stood there for about 10 mins in the middle of the dancefloor with the kettle in his hand. If the kettle holder guy is still around and on Soul Source - I hope you had the sense to piss in the thing before you gave it back to them

Sometimes I would spend most of the night in Ms and other times I wouldn't go in at all - but when it was full and jumping it had some atmosphere.

Cheers

Manus

[Davetay]

not this Grant btw

No not you, they were from Blackburn and used to hang around with some Preston lads.

[grant]

No not you, they were from Blackburn and used to hang around with some Preston lads.

cant remember them dave, never had any hassle in that corridor.

[Davetay]

cant remember them dave, never had any hassle in that corridor.

No, never had any trouble myself in the corridor.

Just that time in the Beachcomber as I said earlier.

By the time M's opened I knew enough people to feel safe.

[Guest nickic]

didnt know about any of these scary people! i used to go in there regular, kept myself to myself! and never had any trouble.. i did see a couple of guys give a lad a few slaps then take his full lenght leather off him! but that was upstairs in the main hall...

[Keithw]

remember loads about Ms

used to go out with Lisa Wright from nr Crewe (I live in Crewe)

we used to dance in there,used to know Paddy McKenna from Winsford so didnt come to any harm

remember first hearing Johnny Hendley in Ms----blew me away

djs i remember billy paul, mike rollo.hovis (I think)

used to marvel at Sparky from Warrington,a very good and athletic black guy

he used to do flips up the wall

never got rolled in Wigan,the Torch on a friday night that was another story

but always had trouble from the Wigan knobheads when walking from station

[Davetay]

didnt know about any of these scary people! i used to go in there regular, kept myself to myself! and never had any trouble.. i did see a couple of guys give a lad a few slaps then take his full lenght leather off him! but that was upstairs in the main hall...

They were abit before your time, as far as I can remember they stopped going late 75 early 76.

P.S. I stopped going to Wigan myself in early 76.

Went a few times in 77 & 78, but only to sell records. Did not stop all-night.

I started going alot again in 79 right till the end, but never on a Friday to the oldies night.

Edited January 20, 2010 by davetay

[Guest Brian J]

Being a Wiganer the Casino was home from home for me.

I started going to the disco/soul nights at the Beachcomber when I was 13/14 (1968/69).

There was a door either behind or at the side of the Beachcomber bar leading to a

spiral staircase. It took you up to a small office in the cellar area behind the Casino's main stage.

Mr. M's main entrance was down the long corridor where the toilets were situated.

Half way down on the left of the corridor there was a doorway and stairs that lead

up to a gaming room, which used to hold the roulette and card tables and later became a pool room.

If I remember rightly, there was only one narrow flight of stairs that took

you onto the gallery, although my memory's vague on this particular point.

I think it was on the right just before the corridor started.

In 1973 the main hall at the Casino was open 7 times a week;

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday till 1am

and then the Allnighter.

[Guest SOULBOY45]

Being a Wiganer the Casino was home from home for me.

I started going to the disco/soul nights at the Beachcomber when I was 13/14 (1968/69).

There was a door either behind or at the side of the Beachcomber bar leading to a

spiral staircase. It took you up to a small office in the cellar area behind the Casino's main stage.

Mr. M's main entrance was down the long corridor where the toilets were situated.

Half way down on the left of the corridor there was a doorway and stairs that lead

up to a gaming room, which used to hold the roulette and card tables and later became a pool room.

If I remember rightly, there was only one narrow flight of stairs that took

you onto the gallery, although my memory's vague on this particular point.

I think it was on the right just before the corridor started.

In 1973 the main hall at the Casino was open 7 times a week;

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday till 1am

and then the Allnighter.

yes same here started with the beachcomber in 71 age about 14 complete with box jacket suit

[Guest Brian J]

yes same here started with the beachcomber in 71 age about 14 complete with box jacket suit

Made to measure at Jackson's on the top corner of Market Street. £10 @ 10 bob a week!

[Guest POTTERIESPECK]

Mr M's