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. We found them distraught watching the flames as they thought we were in the building. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Isle of Man: Summerland Entertainment Center - Vintage Photograph 1399644 at the best online prices at eBay! 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. 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. The Summerland building in Douglas was the first of its kind in the world and its state-of-the-art facilities put the Isle of Man on the map. I was too young to realise what had happened but it makes me feel cold now. 3. ws firemen in orange coats looking at building. 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. xx. Location. ISLE OF MAN: Summerland Entertainment Center - Vintage Photograph 1399665 - 12.48. It had been a last minute holiday booking and to this day I will not go on a last miniute booking holiday. 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. I lost a couple of pals in the fire. This was on the 2nd floor. 1. The fire quickly spread across the sheeting on the leisure centre walls and roof, and through vents which were not properly fireproofed. Her Name was Julie Panter, and her friend Dawn Ellingham wrote to me to tell me this. There was a charming wooden see saw, slide and roundabout. It does not take away from the fact that it was for a few years, a great place to be. 7. vox pop older man re. The conflagration took place on 2 August 1973 in this ambitious entertainment complex in Douglas, Isle of Man, commissioned in 1965 and opened in May 1971. 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. 34808 | VAT Registration Number: 001090349 Directors . Fifty people were killed and 80 seriously injured. [1] [2] [3] At first we thought it was only a small fire but we soon became aware that it was a lot more serious. This part of the building was clad in a material called Galbestos: profiled steel sheeting with asbestos felt on both sides coated with bitumen,[5][8] with no fire-resistant qualities. There is also a mysterious underground room in the castle where a male ghost has been seen lingering. I do recall entering a talent competition and singing 'I'm a little teapot'. 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). LOCATION From the Sea Terminal proceed the length of the Promenade. 2. ws Summerland after fire - skeleton of building. keith jamiesonI 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. I remember winning a talent contest at Summerland when I was 6 years old.We went to the IOM every year for our summer holidays. We got out past the swimming pool - as a lady carrying some keys ran towards the doors to unlock them. I remember the music and noise of people just enjoying themselves. NOTHING! On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. I 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 death toll brought about a public inquiry that ran from September 1973 to February 1974. On 17 September 1973, three Liverpool boys two of them 12 and the other 14 appeared before Douglas Juvenile Court and admitted wilfully and unlawfully damaging the lock of a plastic kiosk next to Summerland. I remember the main floor in front of the stage with all the deck chairs & the straw umbrellas, the music, the talent shows. 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. When it opened Summerland w We never knew if she saved our lives. Summerland was fulfilling its promise of taking Manx tourism into the future. There were cafes and bars to relax in when you needed a drink. I've just seen that picture of the pool with the rows of spectator seats and it brought it all back to me.I remember the next year when the fire happened because we were packing for our holiday to Anglesea when the news broke. I was 17 and with my boyfriend at the time. It was all shining, it even smelt new. Sharon BridsonI was 12 that year. Bob EmeryWhen Summerland opened it was sensational here on the IOM. 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. The rest is of course history. VillaGaiety is the Isle of Man's premier ENTERTAINMENT venue. 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). I used to love walking round the place & everytime it was just as amazing as the first time.Then in my teens & 20's & 30's going to the cave & upstairs for the TT events from TT supporters club meetings,to gigs & tyre balancing. jilliani loved summerland it was amazing the play area and the skating the swim baths and all shame the way things went, WAYNE FORDHI, 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. 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. 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. It took me a long time to go on holiday again. 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. I had the best holidays ever as a kid in IOM , it is a magical place. 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. STORY. Humans colonised it by travelling by sea some time before 6500 BC. I WILL RETURN AS THERE IS A KIND OF MAGIC ATTRACTION ABOUT THE ISLAND,I SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER 'THE GEM IN THE IRISH SEA' WAYNE FORD, Crazy Carol, OnchanMoonwalk,rollerskating & swimming, just 3 of the things that kept myself, my brother & cousins entertained for hours. The site on King Edward Road in Douglas has remained unused since the complex was. 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. 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) 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 think it would be appropriate and (hopefully) not too disrespectful to the people who passed away there. The island was cut off from the surrounding islands around 8000 BC as sea levels rose following the end of the ice age. 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. See where they filmed this movie from 2020 starring Gemma Arterton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Lucas Bond. We went to a show to see the Black and White Minstrels, that's when I smelt smoke. Game & Entertainment Centers. 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. I still remember those who died and those who lost loved ones. Firemen were already on the scene and ran past us with hoses. On the third attempt, my uncle's door came open and several others followed. The house has 4 good sized reception rooms, a breakfast kitchen, basement, 4 bedrooms, ensuite bathroom and separate wc and family bathroom. [1][2][3], Summerland was opened on 25 May 1971. 8. Marketed by Chrystals, Isle of Man But I have fond memories of summerland and I to did win the talent competion in summerland. Tehachapi, CA, US. I will never forget her and that night that I nearly died.Sincerely John McGimpsey, Newtownards N Ireland. From pantomime to ballet and live music to musicals. It wasn't until we were on the promenade at a safe distance that I looked back to see the building completely engulfed in flames. The pool was salt water and it made my eyes sting. Phase II Nicole SmithThe queue to get into the swimming pool with my Mum, Dad & brother and of course the smell. The venue was designed to hold 10,000 people in five floors and included swimming. I loved it so much and will always remember it . [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. The burnt out remains of the centre in September 1973, one month after the fire. As Bob says the smell of the place too & being in there when it was pouring down outside was amazing to us kids. 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. 5. vs burned out building. 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! Siobhan McHaleWe had a family holiday on the IoM when I was 6. fire, which triggered a major change in fire regulations on the Island. We came back to the island the year after the fire and we stayed in Oncan. Inside the centre he included plans for an indoor heated swimming pool, saunas, Turkish baths, an artificial sunshine zone, a childrens theatre, an underground disco, cascading waterfalls, restaurants and bars all with live entertainment throughout the day. 5. 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. [18], Forty years after the tragedy, a permanent memorial in the form of three granite columns was unveiled at Kaye Memorial Gardens, at the bottom of Summer Hill. I was one of the worst things that has ever happened on our small Island and none of us will ever forget the event. We were in Summerland on the night of the fire, as we had been most evenings. 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. There was a lot of excited anticipation before it opened. The Summerland building in Douglas was the first of its kind in the world. is now owned and operated by the Department of Tourism and Leisure. 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. 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 new Entertainment Centre was named Summerland and opened in the summer If you like to see Seven Sisters - view in Seaford, United Kingdom or any other wonderful filming locations from Summerland, start scrolling. My parents had gone for a drink and I was looking after myself on my own in the safety that was 1973 in the fantastic Isle of Man. 6. vox pops boys re. When they couldnt locate me they began their search for me on the prom. Figure 2 shows where the fire initially started, and it spread quickly over the building faade. celiaI was on holiday at the IOM with a group of girl friends the week of the Summerland fire. On the night of the fire I had decided, for some unknown reason, to spend some time on the ASTROGLIDE (who remembers that ?) The latter idea was eventually scrapped when it was discovered some of the birds were poisoning themselves by eating the plastic foliage. But I have fond memories of summerland and I to did win the talent competion in summerland. slide somewhere near where the Hilton Hotel is now I think. The indoor Summerland leisure complex in Douglas was the first of its kind in the world and its facilities put the Isle of Man on the map as one of the most important tourist destinations in. I've not lived on the Island for 10 years, but I have the memories of the great times I had & will never forget Summerland, even know my time spent there was in the 90's, quite a long time following the 1973 Disaster. There is also significant attic. The fire services were not called for over 20 minutes,[5] and even then the call did not originate from Summerland. I lost a couple of pals in the fire. We went to the shops on the prom and I still have Minnie the clockwork mouse to this day. Summerlands bed and breakfast (B&B) is a charming and unique house in Ramsey, which has recently been refurbished throughout to a very high standard. With the help of the government and Trust House Forte Leisure Ltd the Outside its raining yet here you are relaxed in your shirt sleeves, gently perspiring in a tropical 80 degrees.. I loved it so much and will always remember it . Property reference . The Isle of Man [1] ( Manx: Ellan Vannin) is an island in the British Isles, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland. seeing many bodies, young people burned beyond recognition The first drawings materialised in 1965 but hundreds were drafted out before building work actually started. Also had a vague recollection that the lads who were smoking near a kiosk which led to the fire, came from Liverpool. Location:Isle of Man Posted February 17, 2006 Some photos of Summerland and the demolition (I'll post them in batches because uploading all at once seems to mess up the order) Quote Regulars 7.1k Gender:Male Location:Isle of Man Posted February 17, 2006 Damn flood control Quote The Old Git Regulars 7.1k Gender:Male Location:Isle of Man The Isle of Man is located in the middle of the northern Irish Sea, Isle of Man to the east, Northern Ireland to the west, Scotland (closest) to the north and Republic of Ireland to the southwest. 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. While many escaped the inferno unharmed, the incident claimed 50 lives and seriously injured 80. On the evening of Thursday 2nd August 1973 an estimated 3,000 people were enjoying themselves at the resort. 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. 420,000 Property details; 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. 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. Ramsey is one of the sunniest parts of the Isle of Man, offering walks, fishing, golf, cycling and swimming. Only three Solaria existed at the time: Chicago, Japan and Switzerland. To experience Summerland at that time was special and afterall, what has the Government ever done since to improve our quality of life here in the IOM. Summerland opened on 25 May 1971 and was designed to accommodate up to 10,000 tourists as one of the largest entertainment centres in the world. Summerland was a high tech leisure centre that was built in Douglas, on the Isle of Man, and opened in 1971. over 1.7 million (government grant of 600,000). "Good crispy duck and great main dishes.". We hadn't had decent swimming baths for a long time in Douglas and for that reason alone I couldn't wait to get in and have a look. The island is in desperate need of some alternative. There were posters everywhere and everyone was talking about it. I still remember the screams and panic, they haunt me to this day. Summerland Fire Memorial - Douglas, Isle of Man in Disaster Memorials Posted by: Mike_bjm N 54 10.005 W 004 27.799 30U E 404467 N 6003063 Quick Description: The Summerland Fire Memorial is in the Kaye Memorial Gardens on King Edward Road Rushen in Douglas. The Summerland building in Douglas was the first of its kind in the world. There were posters everywhere and everyone was talking about it. janice gale from dreghorn scotlandI was 13 when summerland went on fire i still remember that night clearly my mum and i had told my dad that we were going to summerland while he went to the villa marine to watch wrestling but just before the bus stopped we changed our mind and went to white city we had just got into white city when we were told summerland was on fire we had to walk all the way round onchan to get back to the prom its a scene you will never forget seeing people jumping into the sea to get away from the flames even when we came home on the boat your were reminded again as we had to wait until all the coffins were taken of first as a mark of respect. A couple of the girls had been at the afternoon disco but were on their way back to the digs when the fire must have taken hold. Facts About Isle of Man: Places to Visit in Isle of Man Location Map of UK Cities Where is Aberdeen Where is Basildon Where is Basingstoke Where is Bath The Summerland leisure complex in the Isle of Man, a popular tourist destination for many years, closed its doors for the last time in 2018. I was at summerland in august 1973,and went to the groovey disco underneath,but it seemed a bit lacking in atmosphere compared to the clubs in Manchester.I was also in Douglas when Summerland set on fire and joined the long queue of people donating blood for the victims. I feel there should always be something incorporated into whatever is built or put on the site to commemmorate the people who died. My mum eventually took me and my sisters and I couldn't believe how new and lovely everything was. StewartI dont remember the initial Summerlands complex, but I was in Summerlands in the mid 80's; after it was rebuilt and reopened in 1978; I was therer on annual camp with the scouts, that was the year I joined the scouts and that was the reason i joined, the trip to the Isle of Man.What a great time I had there using the swimming pool. A couple of the girls had been at the afternoon disco but were on their way back to the digs when the fire must have taken hold. We were there the night before the fire, we just thatought the "moving staircase" by the front door was the best thing ever. complex was rebuilt in 1976 and opened again in 1978. [9] The centre was seriously damaged by the fire. It wasn't until we were on the promenade at a safe distance that I looked back to see the building completely engulfed in flames. I remember seeing balls of fire dropping from the top of the structure this was the so-called inflammable Oraglass (?) 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). JaxuttonOK.What's with the 3 school-boys, what caused the fire?Accident or sabotage was an investigation carried out?Tell us more! Follow on beyond Summerland and Port Jack. Summerland was an odd mix of styles: one half light, airy and modern; the other windowless and concrete. Film: Pos - Sound: Mag SOF - Colour - NYFilm: No - LN Number: LN45368 - Available in HD Storyline Go to top Scenes of the aftermath of the Summerland Pleasure Complex fire Categories Go to top Locations:
