ramsgate

Anyone remember playing or going to The West Cliff Hall Ballroom in Ramsgate?

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John Maskell…  I wondered if anyone had thought of encompassing the Ramsgate West Cliff Hall/Ballroom articles on your site. Football and local band issues aside, it was an amazing place to play and of a similar significance to the Pier at Hastings. I was vocalist for a group called Johnny & The Bobcats and we played there on quite a few occasions coming down from London where we were based. We were booked for venues to raise money for the local football team. We were on a line up with Deke Arlon & The Offbeats and we all know what happened to Deke. Apart from managing he was a class act on stage. We also appeared with Duffy Power on another occasion and by ourselves as well.  The one thing that used to scare me witless was when the weather was bad the waves would hit the wall of the Ballroom which backed on to the sea and the water would seep through the mortar and run down the walls. Needless to say I made a point of not touching the microphone at any time after.

Julie Williams… Yes my mum did. She was a dancer. Her name was Joyce Ward now Joyce Williams

Jan Dixon… I lived opposite in Spencer Square in 1950s. Went to theatre often. Rolling Stones played there as did Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. I used to use baths at back of hall and my dad was an extra in ballroom dance on film made there.

Ricky Adelaide… Know it well over the road the Van Gogh pub played there loads back in the day. My sister saw the Stones at West cliff

 

How many other bands played at Neros Ramsgate and Neros Southsea.

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Supplied by Colin Fox

Colin Fox… I wonder how many other bands played at Neros Ramsgate and Neros Southsea?

Robert Searle… Always remember the Mini Togas great days.Played both.

Ricky Adelaide… I played at Ramsgate few times..

Will Cornell… Gee this looks like a better theme restaurant idea than Hooters or the Tilted Kilt!

Dave Weeks… If this was Peggy Sues, I played there in the 80’s on a Wednesday bloody night. One room was live music in competition with the night club room.

Colin Fox… Tiberius was the casino next door.

Tony Court-holmes… worked there with Chris Gentry in the 70s when he had his road show

Stuart Moir… All those brilliant gigs, the girls with the short togas 😙and the drive home after 2am finish arriving with the milkman at 4 in the morning. I wonder if any of the girls recognise themselves in the photo it would be nice to hear from them

Colin Fox… One of the croupiers from Tiberius worked at the same place in my last job. She brought some pictures in one day. She used to go out with the owner.

Andre Martin… Back in the mid 70s I can remember Ramsgate had changed to disco on a Friday/Saturday nights and I used to work it a couple of times a month. 9.00pm – 2.00am with a couple of breaks. Good venue always packed out, but what a haul for gear in and out, at least you only did it once each way – thank the lord. Right down by the harbor so parking was easy.

Gary Swinard… Played both many times with the band named Cleopatra’s Needle

Ricky Adelaide… Yes I did a few times supporting a local entertainer Sunny Day..also Canterbury based band Frido plus Ramsgate band 3 js

Stuart Moir… Many times Centre Page played this venue, we had to carry Revie Stockdales Hammond down those steps to the left of the stage one on each corner, it was bloody heavy the door was just behind that screen, that was a fabulous gig, the agent was the guy in Tunbridge Wells can’t remember his name, we visited his office many times , we also played the Southsea Neros as well all part of the same group.

Alan Esdaile… Stuart, are you thinking of Peter Johnson Agency? If so he was a good agent and I did a few gigs through him.

Yve…  Gary, Yes, I know, I was there and it was always brilliant fun. Not so much the clearing of the gear and the driving home but the lie-in on Sunday made up for it!

Dave Weeks… Yes did Ramsgate in the 80’s – think it was Peggy Sues then

Ricky Adelaide… Yes I played Ramsgate