Manfred Mann star Paul Jones recalls appearing at Hartlepool's treasured Rink Ballroom ahead of this weekend's Whitby 60s show

Paul Jones was lead singer of Manfred Mann when they topped the charts with Do Wah Diddy Diddy and Pretty Flamingo.

Among the venues they appeared at locally was The Rink Ballroom, in Clarence Road.

Ahead of a performance with The Manfreds at Whitby Pavilion on Saturday, September 21, Jones, now 82, said: “The Rink in Hartlepool was a venue that was hugely popular around the time of the hugely successful Manfred Man period.

"We played there around the time of our million selling hits – we were very current so the anticipation of us appearing in Hartlepool was huge.

"The Rink at that time was playing host to so many big names that were on the circuit at that time. Lulu, Chris Farlowe, Jimmy James, Johnny Kidd and The Pirates and so many more.

"The friendships, marriages and children born via meets in The Rink will be massive in Hartlepool today.

"The venue was electric and had a very special atmosphere. The fact that we around that time we were appearing on iconic TV shows such as Ready Steady Go! and Top Of The Pops only added to the excitement for our fans in Hartlepool during that magical period.

“They were special times and hard to imagine that some 60 years on that the songs from that period still evoke happy times for a generation.”

More details about this weekend’s Whitby 60s festival from September 19-21 are available from https://www.whitby-live.com/

Tickets are also available by phoning (01757) 700042 or 07990 073574.

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