Now, this was a bugger of a site in more ways than one… mainly because the nightclub is a building built on concrete ‘stilts’… to accommodate the car park beneath. Umpteen recces, another broken tripod, a twisted ankle, many ninja-esque manoeuvres and one final solo visit later and I finally have photos (albeit grainy, dusty and crappy-torchy-ones… but hey, I’m an explorer, not a photographer).
This building used to be the Locarno Ballroom… incorporating Tiffany’s, then it was (I think) Genevieve’s, then finally The Palace nightclub. All situated above a bowling alley in Sunderland. I used to go to The Palace about ten years ago with my sister, and after consulting with my dad I found out that he courted my mum there in the sixties when it used to be the Locarno Dance Rooms… with bands like The Who playing in 1966, and also Led Zeppelin in ’71… (Any Sunderland historians please correct me if I’m wrong).
It is in an extremely bad way now, as the whole building was closed in December last year and the place is in the process of being stripped and demolished. It was quite a “blast from the past†to wander around and I must admit I spent more time just reminiscing than actually taking photos. Anyway, apologies for bad photos... But anyone from Sunderland who used to go here may still be interested.
Photo from "sunderland taproom" website.. 2011
From the Mecca Dance Halls Website, two from when the building used to be the Locarno Ballroom, also incorporating a private members area..
And here is what it looks like now..
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Found a mannequin head and an asbestos suit... and here was the result... *shrug*... cant be helped... was too tempting
This building used to be the Locarno Ballroom… incorporating Tiffany’s, then it was (I think) Genevieve’s, then finally The Palace nightclub. All situated above a bowling alley in Sunderland. I used to go to The Palace about ten years ago with my sister, and after consulting with my dad I found out that he courted my mum there in the sixties when it used to be the Locarno Dance Rooms… with bands like The Who playing in 1966, and also Led Zeppelin in ’71… (Any Sunderland historians please correct me if I’m wrong).
It is in an extremely bad way now, as the whole building was closed in December last year and the place is in the process of being stripped and demolished. It was quite a “blast from the past†to wander around and I must admit I spent more time just reminiscing than actually taking photos. Anyway, apologies for bad photos... But anyone from Sunderland who used to go here may still be interested.
Photo from "sunderland taproom" website.. 2011
From the Mecca Dance Halls Website, two from when the building used to be the Locarno Ballroom, also incorporating a private members area..
And here is what it looks like now..
Found a mannequin head and an asbestos suit... and here was the result... *shrug*... cant be helped... was too tempting
Cat.
