Did you have dance fever back in the summer of '˜78?

Who remembers the Dave Arkley Show at the Gatsby nightclub? How about Northern Soul Night at Club Carlton?
The Gatsby nightclub.The Gatsby nightclub.
The Gatsby nightclub.

They were just two of the night-time highlights for clubbers in Hartlepool back in 1978.

Today, we’re looking back 39 years, to the year when you could learn the dance moves of Saturday Night Fever at the Paul Hopper Dance Studio in Everett Street.

A busy scene at the Hartlepool show when it was held at Grayfields.A busy scene at the Hartlepool show when it was held at Grayfields.
A busy scene at the Hartlepool show when it was held at Grayfields.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

As the advert said: “You’ve seen the film, heard the music – now learn the dances.”

It was your chance to master ‘The Travolta’ and the ‘Line Hustle’. Did you go - and did you have the outfit to match?

At the Gatsby on The Front in Seaton Carew, DJ Dave Arkley had “great sounds, good dancing”, and if you wanted refreshments, meals in a basket were available at the cocktail bar and the disco bar.

The seafront venue was also hosting Hartlepool’s very own new wave band Big Picture.

A busy scene at the Hartlepool show when it was held at Grayfields.A busy scene at the Hartlepool show when it was held at Grayfields.
A busy scene at the Hartlepool show when it was held at Grayfields.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Hartlepool Show was about to get into full swing at Grayfields, and it was free admission to Gemini and Twins before 9.30pm.

The Gemini even offered a touch of Christmas that summer! It held a festive party complete with Santa Claus, carol singing, balloons, prizes and snow at midnight.

Did you get into the seasonal spirit?

It was disco night at The Queen with the Dennis The Menace Road Show, and there was 50/50 dancing at the Rovers Quoit Club.

There was lots to see at the town’s cinemas, including Shipwreck at the Fairworld, and Herbie Goes To Monte Carlo at the Odeon.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

And if you were a bit younger, the Odeon had the Children’s Super Saturday Show every weekend, where admission was only 15p. Who remembers it?

On the shopping front, Kirkwoods general dealers in Vane Street had some great offers, including a 4st sack of potatoes for £1, and jam for 20p.

Battenburg cake was 29p at Hintons and 12oz tins of corned beef were 36p at Dovecot in Church Street.

You could get a tin of rice pudding for 12½p at Fine Fare in Peterlee, or cornflakes for 28p at the Delta Cash And Carry warehouse in Park Road.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

To trigger your memory of those times, It’s A Celebrity Knockout was on BBC1, and so was Ask Aspel. For the children, there was Go With Noakes, Captain Pugwash and Jackanory.

There was The Kenny Everett Video Show on Tyne Tees and on Coronation Street, Bet was pulling out all the stops to get her picture on the cover of the brewery magazine.

Did you enjoy the Hartlepool ‘70s club scene, or is there some other aspect of town life you’d like us to remember? Email [email protected]