The good old days

[Bentley Bullet]

Just heard on the radio that The Batley Variety club is to close at the end of the month.

Although I never went there, it was sad to think that a little West Yorkshire town that is the home of the world famous club, attracting famous acts from Europe and across the Atlantic, was to have it's magnificent asset turned into  .............a gym.

The news made me reminisce about how great local entertainment used to be in the villages of Doncaster. Bentley, for instance had TWO venues providing top class entertainment every weekend and often midweek too. Oh for the days when the advantage of having two clubs became a problem when deciding which one had the best 'Turn' that weekend!

It was a nightmare scenario having Dragonfly performing in one place, while the Gutterband played in the other, still it was a wonderful life back in those days, even though it wasn't appreciated.

Is your village now a ghost town since your club shut down? Which bands used to fill it?

[drfc1951]

Radburn Club and Rossington Labour club. Saw Billy Fury Gerry and the Pacemakers and the Searchers at the Radburn in the early 70s.Great days.Saw the Everly Brothers at Batley, loved the chicken and chips in a basket.

[Filo]

Just heard on the radio that The Batley Variety club is to close at the end of the month.

Although I never went there, it was sad to think that a little West Yorkshire town that is the home of the world famous club, attracting famous acts from Europe and across the Atlantic, was to have it's magnificent asset turned into  .............a gym.

The news made me reminisce about how great local entertainment used to be in the villages of Doncaster. Bentley, for instance had TWO venues providing top class entertainment every weekend and often midweek too. Oh for the days when the advantage of having two clubs became a problem when deciding which one had the best 'Turn' that weekend!

It was a nightmare scenario having Dragonfly performing in one place, while the Gutterband played in the other, still it was a wonderful life back in those days, even though it wasn't appreciated.

Is your village now a ghost town since your club shut down? Which bands used to fill it?

Yes.


Turns

Niteskool
Dragonfly
The Gents
Tubeless Hearts
Flick of the Wrist
Dee and the Cheatahs (Dee was also in Flick of the Wrist)
Deemus Mint
Uncool Danceband
Teaser
Rockestra

[Bentley Bullet]

Confession to make. Our lass has just told me that I actually HAVE been to the Batley Variety club, but a few years after its more famous era when it was renamed the Batley Frontier club.

Back to Doncaster bands - Marks Brothers, from Birmingham were a great band.

[Donnywolf]

Bitter Suite


Mickeys Monkeys
Drifting Harmony
New Jersey Turnpike
Paddy Green Set
Ponders End

[drfc1951]

Did anyone see Chapman Brown? must be the craziest turn ever.

[Bentley Bullet]

I remember once thinking the Yarborough club had swapped the Saturday night entertainment from live music to putting on a live gay sex show instead, when the poster outside said -
                                             
                                                   Tonight
                                               Live on stage
                                            Colin Fingers Henry

[Bentley Bullet]

Did anyone see Chapman Brown? must be the craziest turn ever.

http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=892802

[tommy toes]

Used to try and see Bitter Suite as often as I could. They were brilliant. Baz the singer had a voice as good as Paul Rodgers.

[idler]

The Scala in Sprotborough took some beating in the mid to late sixties.
They used to have five or six acts on for a week at a time.
Happy days.

[drfchound]

I went Batley Variety Club quite a few times and saw some top artists.
Does anyone remember the Kiki Club at Kirk Sandall?
I can remember seeing the Four Tops and The Temptations there.

[idler]

I think that the KiKi club was owned by the same people that had the BaBa club in Barnsley.

[podrover73]

Interesting article of Doncaster Working Mens Clubs here:

https://issuu.com/robche/docs/working_mens_clubs

[drfc1951]

The Scala in Sprotborough took some beating in the mid to late sixties.
They used to have five or six acts on for a week at a time.
Happy days.

My late father in law was the resident drummer there.

[Bentley Bullet]

Anyone remember The Three Discoes?
Dickie and Dottie?

[drfchound]

I think that the KiKi club was owned by the same people that had the BaBa club in Barnsley.

Not very imaginative with the names then?

[podrover73]

I think that the KiKi club was owned by the same people that had the BaBa



Not very imaginative with the names then?

The Dodo club didn't last long

[i_ateallthepies]

Saw Roy Orbison at Batley Varieties, my God! What a voice that man had.

Remember seeing Chapman Brown at Bentley Yarborough and Colin Fingers henry and Marti Cain at Barnby Dun Social club.