I had a restriction with regards the number of words for the sleeve notes. As you say the weekenders you mention were not northern really, Berwick might just have qualified but the first proper northern ones were Yarmouth, that is the start really of the weekender popularity. There was others before I know but they weren’t the annual or twice yearly piss up that Yarmouth and then Cleethorpes became.
Yarmouth and Cleethorpes before Fleetwood and any of the Northern Weekenders we have now, Prestatyn was a long time after really.
Soul Essence also deserves a mention as many of us frequented the venue and still do.