JaxuttonOK.What's with the 3 school-boys, what caused the fire?Accident or sabotage was an investigation carried out?Tell us more! It bears the names of those killed in the fire and is set into a circle of paving, alongside a stone laid earlier to mark the 25th anniversary. NOTHING! The burnt out remains of the centre in September 1973, one month after the fire. Phase II A survivor of the devastating Summerland fire on the Isle of Man which killed 50 people, including 15 from Merseyside and Cheshire, has made an emotional appeal for the three Liverpool friends who . The venue attracted thousands of people to the. The street frontage and part of the roof was clad in Oroglas, a transparent acrylic glass sheeting.[5]. When we finally reached the bottom the firemen were there to guide us out and just as we got outside, the whole place was engulfed by fire. Everthing about that place was magical, everyone had a smile on their face & the atmosphere was exciting. The transparent roof was composed of 6 ft acrylic bronze-tinted sheets so that the natural light filtering through would appear like golden rays. In The Summerland Story written by Robert Kelly he promotes the centre as a holiday town where it never rains, the wind never blows and the temperature never gets chilly. We went back when they rebuilt it but it didn't have the same atmosphere & at first people almost seemed to be looking over their shoulders as if they were waiting for something to happen, it was strange. "Good crispy duck and great main dishes.". I'll never forget the tragedy and the emptiness we felt after that horrific day. The queue to get into the swimming pool with my Mum, Dad & brother and of course the smell. I loved it so much and will always remember it . My Mum persuaded me not to stay any longer in the childrens' play area in the basement, so we returned to the gallery area overlooking the stage/dancefloor to join my brother and uncle. The ghost walk at Castle Rushen is said to be one of the best on the island and can be booked here. Demolition of the site from Oct 2005. Summerland was an odd mix of styles: one half light, airy and modern; the other windowless and concrete. 30 Mar 2023 - 05 Apr 2023 +. The Summerland disaster occurred when a fire spread through the Summerland leisure centre in Douglas on the Isle of Man on the night of 2 August 1973. I remember hearing a woman shouting "My God, my children are in there", which I still find a bone-chilling thought. Those were the days. [11], One survivor wrote about her experiences from the fire in a book entitled Made in Summerland, which was published in July 2018.[12]. StuartI was 9 at the time of the Summerland fire and on holiday with my Mum and Dad staying at the Granada Hotel as we always did then. Those were the days. [15] Changes to building regulations to improve fire safety were introduced. In June of 1832, Cholera arrived on the Isle of Man. We were there the night before the fire, we just thatought the "moving staircase" by the front door was the best thing ever. slide somewhere near where the Hilton Hotel is now I think. 05 Apr 2023 - 16 Apr 2023. Nicole SmithThe queue to get into the swimming pool with my Mum, Dad & brother and of course the smell. Property description & features. At 8:00 p.m. on 2 August 1973, Summerland, a leisure centre on the Isle of Man as shown in Figure 1, was seen to be on fire. The closure of the . Property reference . My Mum and I started to go towards a spiral staircase which led towards the main entrance but my uncle steered us further along the gallery to where there were fire exits leading to the swimming pool area. The year before the fire we were taken to Summerland to watch a syncronised swimming display. The house has 4 good sized reception rooms, a breakfast kitchen, basement, 4 bedrooms, ensuite bathroom and separate wc and family bathroom. After another few minutes the flames had spread over the top of the building and were beginning to engulf the whole place, it was horrible to see. Latest Truck Driver Job Vacancies in Canada in 2022: A certified truck driver is qualified to use for every one of the work placements around right here. The fire services were not called for over 20 minutes,[5] and even then the call did not originate from Summerland. My dad played a lot of squash so I was always there watching him, well trying.. it took me years to be tall enough to see over from the spectators gallery properly.Every weekend it would either be rollerskating, swimming or the play area in the day and at night we would come back for the cabaret and more time in the play area.Through the week I would be in Summerland for 5-a-side football and swimming lessons with my school.For years I knew nothing about the fire but was told by my parents at a sensible age, from this moment on I wanted to know what the place looked like as their description made it sound out of this world and it was!I have spent many an hour researching everything Summerland.I have to admit I did feel very sad when I saw this place coming down.A newer more aesthetically pleasing version needs to be built, we need a more resourceful entertainment complex on the Island, everthing under one roof.. like Summerland! Opened with much fanfare a little more than two years earlier on 25 May 1971, the 2m climate-controlled building boasted restaurants and bars, an indoor heated swimming pool, saunas, a children's theatre and an underground disco. We actually visited the Summerland on the day of the fire, I can remember the night of the fire, we were staying in a hotel on the opposite end of the prom, I was there with my cousin and our Mum's and Dad's had gone out for the evening. The first drawings materialised in 1965 but hundreds were drafted out before building work actually started. I remember seeing below us musicians from the group who had been on stage swimming across the learner pool, one of them with his guitar. Summerland. The fire killed 50 people, eleven of them under the age of twenty. Bid today! My Mum and I started to go towards a spiral staircase which led towards the main entrance but my uncle steered us further along the gallery to where there were fire exits leading to the swimming pool area. County: . I loved it so much and will always remember it . A lot of people on the Island will never forget what happened on 2nd August 1973. The west wall remains intact as there is concern that its removal may cause the adjacent cliff to collapse. jimmy kitchin onchanon the night of the summerland fire,my wife and mother and father inlaw (in there late seventies) plus myself with a wife who was expecting a child,were due to have a drink in the top bar as a fairwell to there holls before returning to liverpool next day, due to a strange event my wife hair rollers broke down so delaying by half an hour our departure.we stoped at the laxey filling station only to be told the complex was on fire!! And the name, it was just called the summerland play area, or Barry Nobles arcade before that (not to be confused with the one that was opposite Woolworths) panels dropping in flames onto the ground and I guess, people below. Flora Mcintyre i remembr 1968-69 , I worked at White City on the Isle of Man , they were the eight best years of my life. people screaming and trying to escape, one boy broke a window with a microphone stand. I hope you'll find it a useful means of info as to the current status of the site; my hopes for the Isle of Man Government to develop a memorial space there dedicated to the 50 killed in the fire of 2nd August 1973; the one minute's silence I organise on the anniversary of the fire; the Summerland Memorial Concert held each year; together with links and blogs. 4. vs damage to building. My uncle saw someone he knew from our home town (Widnes) whose hotel was closer than ours, and he was able to phone family at home to say we were OK just as the story was coming on the news.We were all OK, apart from my uncle's cracked ribs from charging at the fire door, but the horror of the evening is still with me such that even lighting a candle is something I struggle to do and I always check out fire exits when I'm somewhere new. [4], Summerland was designed to accommodate up to 10,000 tourists and consisted of a dance hall, five floors of holiday games, a rollerskating rink, restaurants and public bars. I do recall entering a talent competition and singing 'I'm a little teapot'. was the development of an entertainment complex, which was completed in 1970. We felt at the time that it was the beginning of the good times here on the Isle of Man. I remember seeing balls of fire dropping from the top of the structure this was the so-called inflammable Oraglass (?) Canada Revenue 1/5 Excise Tax Matchbook "SUMMERLAND GROCETERIA" West Summerland C$10.00 Seller: DeveneyStamps ( 4410 ) There was a lot of excited anticipation before it opened. i loved summerland it was amazing the play area and the skating the swim baths and all shame the way things went, HI, I PLAYED THE SUMMERLAND DISCO WITH MY BAND 'ROCOCO' THE YEAR BEFORE THE FIRE,I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO REMEMBERS 'ROCOCO' I HAVE SOME VERY FOND MEMORIES OF MY TIME THERE, I HAVE VISITED THE ISLAND ONCE SINCE THEN,QUITE BY CHANCE IT WAS THE YEAR BEFORE THE DEMOLITION TOOK PLACE,BUT I SUPPOSE I COULD SAY GOODBYE. Department of Community, Culture and Leisure announces future of Summerland site, Redevelopment of the Former Summerland Site - The Wave. I would like to see an ice-skating rink there (which the Island needs). Behind the stage was the huge rock face. I wondered why she was fussing me so much and so upset, after all, I was fine. 420,000 Property details; A period semi-detached double fronted town house built circa 1864, set along a quiet cul-de-sac, yet within easy walking distance of the shops and cafes of Parliament Street. There were two phases in the building We were in Summerland on the night of the fire, as we had been most evenings. When we noticed the black smoke to one end of the building - and the crowds looking in that direction - we started to move towards the exit. When Summerland opened it was sensational here on the IOM. They were each fined 3 (equal to 31.86 in 2020) and ordered to pay 33p compensation and 15p costs. I was 5 at the time. The scale of the fire has been compared to those seen during the Blitz. On the night of the fire my Mum and Dad were taking me to see the Black & White minstrels, my much older brother and sister didn't want to go and went on the prom. Places - Lost in Time: Summerland Centre, Isle of Man - YouTube Hello, and welcome again to Places - Lost in Time, a series that looks back on the tale of places and locations that have. On August 2, 1973, at about 20.00, a fire in a kiosk close to Summerland, Isle of Man, started a conflagration and caused the death of 50 people. It was the brain child of Douglas architect, Mr James Phillips Lomas who had been commissioned by Douglas Corporation to design a building which would attract visitors to the Isle of Man whatever the weather. I went to the Isle of Man after the fire and never heard of the fire until recently. From pantomime to ballet and live music to musicals. I still remember the screams and panic, they haunt me to this day. I worked in Summerland a week before it burnt down. My Uncle and several other "big chaps" hurled themselves against the fire doors to break them down. Location: Isle of Man Date Posted: 4/5/2017 2:49:35 PM Waymark Code: WMVDNA over 1.7 million (government grant of 600,000). "Excellent! Condition is excellent. JacquiI remember winning a talent contest at Summerland when I was 6 years old.We went to the IOM every year for our summer holidays. [9] The building's open-plan design included many unblocked internal spaces that acted as chimneys, adding to the conflagration. 7. [17], In October 2002, torrential rain caused damage to several structures, as well as two landslides behind Summerland which dislodged two 50-tonne concrete blocks that had once supported the roof of the original building, but had not been removed in the wake of the fire. I made lots of friends both from the island and liverpool. But things got a little more decadent when you ventured underground. (en) dbo:thumbnail The first responding fire crews realised additional resources would be required and almost every resource available to the Isle of Man Fire and Rescue Service was mobilised to the incident (93 of its 106 firefighters and all 16 of its engines). But I have fond memories of summerland and I to did win the talent competion in summerland. The house has 4 good sized reception rooms, a breakfast kitchen, basement, 4 bedrooms, ensuite bathroom and separate wc and family bathroom. I was too young to realise what had happened but it makes me feel cold now. I still remember those who died and those who lost loved ones. After another few minutes the flames had spread over the top of the building and were beginning to engulf the whole place, it was horrible to see. We never knew if she saved our lives. But I have fond memories of summerland and I to did win the talent competion in summerland. Reverse of the small poster is also in colour and lists all the many attractions.. The burning kiosk collapsed against the exterior of the building. We went to the shops on the prom and I still have Minnie the clockwork mouse to this day. When we finally reached the bottom the firemen were there to guide us out and just as we got outside, the whole place was engulfed by fire. The new Entertainment Centre was named Summerland and opened in the summer belindaI went to the Isle of Man after the fire and never heard of the fire until recently. I do recall entering a talent competition and singing 'I'm a little teapot'. Ricky Rooney, DouglasFor me, Summerland was the hub of all my childhood memories, I would be there at least 4 times a week. It took me a long time to go on holiday again. I was 7 and on holiday with family,that inluded aunts,uncles and cousins.A lot of us had been holdaying in Douglas that week and we spent a lot of time in Summerland.It was a great place to spend the day.It had all the ammenities ,everything you wanted was there,a funfare ,indoor heated swimming pool,indoor amusement arcade.It had bars,a disco's everything.On the night of the fire, we just finished our evening meal in our hotel and we began walking up Douglas promenade ,going towards Summerland,when we noticed smoke billowing up from behind the building,the next instant the entire building was engulfed in flames.I remember seeing people pouring out of the building,some were on fire,it was horrific.We were standing some distance away and I could not take my eyes off it.The explosions from the burning building boomed across Douglas bay.I had never seen so many injured people before and it is something that I wll never forget.The following morning we all cut our holiday short and returned home,as the ferry was leaving Douglas we all stood on the boat deck ,staring at the burnt out shell of Summerland.Have never been back to IOM since that terrible fire. from when I was an infant until I was a teenager.Also my dad and his friend used to have such fun jumping on the beaded filled cushions in the solariumI also remember being at home in Liverpool watching the blaze on TV and crying becuase I would never be able to go there again. This, coupled with the constant sirens of emergency vehicles, is what made this the worst night of my life. This button displays the currently selected search type. What a great place. As Bob says the smell of the place too & being in there when it was pouring down outside was amazing to us kids. (Good move as it happens - I understood later that about 12 people were found dead at the bottom of that staircase, which I seem to recall did not have proper handrails round it, being largely decorative.) It was a lovely place but it's so sad the way it all ended. VillaGaiety is the Isle of Man's premier ENTERTAINMENT venue. There were posters everywhere and everyone was talking about it. The island was cut off from the surrounding islands around 8000 BC as sea levels rose following the end of the ice age. There were posters everywhere and everyone was talking about it. Catherine WoodhouseI was 9 and on holiday with my Mum, brother and Uncle Peter (Mum's brother), the aim of the holiday being to give Mum a break after my Dad had died following a long illness. The whole thing ended so tragically but it's important to remember the good times too. Bit by bit over the years things would start to disappear, until by the end there was only "Manxland" left, my son really enjoyed palying there with all his cousins & it was a great place for Mums to meet on a Saturday & have a coffee while the kids played, we did that for a lot of years. I will never forget her and that night that I nearly died.Sincerely John McGimpsey, Newtownards N Ireland. Only three Solaria existed at the time: Chicago, Japan and Switzerland. The Summerland disaster occurred when a fire spread through the Summerland leisure centre in Douglas on the Isle of Man on the night of 2 August 1973. It was a climate-controlled building covering 3.5 acres (1.4ha) on Douglas's waterfront, consisting of 50,000sqft (4,600m2) of floor area constructed at a cost of 2 million. CLOSED COMPLETELY! Find average house prices, current average values, other historic property data & request a valuation from an estate agent. I think it would be appropriate and (hopefully) not too disrespectful to the people who passed away there. My dad played a lot of squash so I was always there watching him, well trying.. it took me years to be tall enough to see over from the spectators gallery properly.Every weekend it would either be rollerskating, swimming or the play area in the day and at night we would come back for the cabaret and more time in the play area.Through the week I would be in Summerland for 5-a-side football and swimming lessons with my school.For years I knew nothing about the fire but was told by my parents at a sensible age, from this moment on I wanted to know what the place looked like as their description made it sound out of this world and it was!I have spent many an hour researching everything Summerland.I have to admit I did feel very sad when I saw this place coming down.A newer more aesthetically pleasing version needs to be built, we need a more resourceful entertainment complex on the Island, everthing under one roof.. like Summerland! Johnny, LaxeySummerland was such a great place to hang out and I would guess that most of the Isle of Man population that was around at the time of the fire is still in shock. Continue along King Edward Road beyond the new offices of Royal Skandia. We stayed for a week and on all of the 4 nights preceding the evening of the disaster I had been to the complex for a swim and play around with new-found friends. The whole thing ended so tragically but it's important to remember the good times too. It had been a last minute holiday booking and to this day I will not go on a last miniute booking holiday. The island is in desperate need of some alternative. It had been a last minute holiday booking and to this day I will not go on a last miniute booking holiday. Then with my children to manxland,their first birthday parties, my sisters-in-laws fashion shows & watching cousin's children do ballroom dancing & they're just a handfull of memories!Summerland was a one off & while the Villa Marina is a part of our islands history & heritage, there will never be another place like Summerland - it's in a league of it's own. The acrylic material melted, allowing more oxygen to enter, and dropping burning molten material, both starting other fires and injuring those trying to escape. It was my last night on the IOM with my BB Company from N Ireland. BBC Isle of Man, Broadcasting House, Douglas Head, Douglas, Isle of Man IM99 1SW, I was 16 at the time of the fire, like many teeagers in Douglas we spent most of our evenings and many a wet day at Summerland.We could occasionally get served in the bars and if not we roller skated on the big rink downstairs.The night of the fire we had left Summerland to go to the stock cars at Onchan stadium, we got as far as the Catholic church in Oncan park when we saw a thin column of black smoke and people began to gather at the cliff top overlooking the site.We ran across the golf course watching the smoke grow, by the time we reached the cliff, half of the seaward wall of Summerland was blazing with a thick sheet of jet black smoke rising hundreds of feet.From our viewpoint we watched the fire spread over the huge oroglas canopy and saw thousands of people pouring out of the doors.When the events of 9/11 were shown on tv it reminded me of Douglas prom that night, teeming with shocked people and emergency vehicles flying up and down.We ended up in the Granada hotel trying to phone our parents to tell them we were ok but the phones were busy.The next morning the whole town stank of burnt plastic and vans instead of ambulannces ferried the dead to a makeshift mortuary.I didn't loose anyone and I dont have nightmares, but it was a dark part of my childhood and a memory that is still often in my thoughts. On the night of the fire I had decided, for some unknown reason, to spend some time on the ASTROGLIDE (who remembers that ?) A recent trip to Isle of Man brought back many happy memories but I was sad to see that not only had Summerlands closed but the building was completly gone.Some people said I was daft as there was no pool on the prominade but my memories of that place will never disappear. Semi-detached house for sale in Seacroft, 3 Summerland, Ramsey IM8 Just added. Sharon BridsonI was 12 that year. Map. The decor made it look like a tropical fairyland in places with the waterfall which looked like it was tumbling into the building from where the cliff-face was at the rear of the building. Summerland complex, Isle of Man Isle of Man Tram and Summerland Leisure Centre. Douglas, Isle of Man IM1 2SE Registered in the Isle of Man No. 7. vox pop older man re. I wondered why she was fussing me so much and so upset, after all, I was fine. [7] The coastguard immediately called the fire brigade. His solution was to design an artificial centre of sunshine and it had to be spectacular enough to compete with the growing threat of cheap foreign holidays. I remember seeing below us musicians from the group who had been on stage swimming across the learner pool, one of them with his guitar. On the third attempt, my uncle's door came open and several others followed. The average house price in Summerland, Ramsey, Isle of Man IM8 is . I am a surviver of this tragedy.I still have nightmares. of a new Sports and Entertainment Centre, which would cost the council Brings back great memories of times spent on the island. Find it on the Isle of Man | Business, Restaurants, Classifieds, Events and more To access your webmail, click Sign In Find it on the Isle of Man Click here to sign into webmail What's On? We stayed for a week and on all of the 4 nights preceding the evening of the disaster I had been to the complex for a swim and play around with new-found friends. David ButteryI was 16 at the time of the fire, like many teeagers in Douglas we spent most of our evenings and many a wet day at Summerland.We could occasionally get served in the bars and if not we roller skated on the big rink downstairs.The night of the fire we had left Summerland to go to the stock cars at Onchan stadium, we got as far as the Catholic church in Oncan park when we saw a thin column of black smoke and people began to gather at the cliff top overlooking the site.We ran across the golf course watching the smoke grow, by the time we reached the cliff, half of the seaward wall of Summerland was blazing with a thick sheet of jet black smoke rising hundreds of feet.From our viewpoint we watched the fire spread over the huge oroglas canopy and saw thousands of people pouring out of the doors.When the events of 9/11 were shown on tv it reminded me of Douglas prom that night, teeming with shocked people and emergency vehicles flying up and down.We ended up in the Granada hotel trying to phone our parents to tell them we were ok but the phones were busy.The next morning the whole town stank of burnt plastic and vans instead of ambulannces ferried the dead to a makeshift mortuary.I didn't loose anyone and I dont have nightmares, but it was a dark part of my childhood and a memory that is still often in my thoughts. There are more than 2 filming locations on our site. With a year-round programme of shows and events, there's plenty of ENTERTAINMENT on offer at VillaGaiety. It does not take away from the fact that it was for a few years, a great place to be. We crossed onto the promenade via a walkway which crossed the road, I think. We came back to the island the year after the fire and we stayed in Oncan. In the summer everyone enjoyed the talent competitions which were great fun. We would spend alot of time up there because of the pool and because they could keep and eye on us and have a drink at the same time. I remember walking past Summerland and seeing a rocking horse from a ride stood on its own. I will never forget her and that night that I nearly died.Sincerely John McGimpsey, Newtownards N Ireland. We went to the shops on the prom and I still have Minnie the clockwork mouse to this day. [14] No specific individuals or groups were blamed and the deaths were attributed to misadventure, although the delay in evacuation and the flammable building materials were condemned. The scale of the fire has been compared to those seen during the Blitz. When we noticed the black smoke to one end of the building - and the crowds looking in that direction - we started to move towards the exit. 2. ws Summerland after fire - skeleton of building. We were first alerted to it by the noise from the fire engines.Looking out the window of the boarding house we saw the flames. One survivor (who was a child at the time) remembered her father noticing smoke coming from the ventilation shaft and had started to attempt to evacuate when the whole area erupted in flames. The island is in desperate need of some alternative. Located in the heart of Douglas, the capital of the Isle of Man, the complex was a landmark of the island, offering a wide range of attractions for both locals and visitors alike. We were in Summerland on the night of the fire, as we had been most evenings. There was a charming wooden see saw, slide and roundabout. Re: Isle of Man Summerland Fire Yes I remember the fire I was 10 years of age and on holiday with my family. On the night of the fire I had decided, for some unknown reason, to spend some time on the ASTROGLIDE (who remembers that ?) I was 12 that year. You were certainly spoilt for choice - you could go swimming in 2 lovely new pools, rollerskate or play a multitude of sports in the massive sports hall, moonwalk in a big white type of enclosed bouncy castle (which like everything in there had a distinctive new smell). Summerland Leisure Complex Douglas Isle of Man IM99 2TB Tel: +44 (0) 1624 625511 The Site Facilities Include: Cinema Children's Soft Play Area Squash Badminton Basketball Five-a-Side Football Tennis Rollerskating Volleyball Indoor Golf Simulator Sports Bar Nightclub Spa Suite Future of Summerland Site 5 October 2010
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