It had been a last minute holiday booking and to this day I will not go on a last miniute booking holiday. I do recall entering a talent competition and singing 'I'm a little teapot'. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Isle of Man: Summerland Entertainment Center - Vintage Photograph 1399644 at the best online prices at eBay! We got out past the swimming pool - as a lady carrying some keys ran towards the doors to unlock them. I've not lived on the Island for 10 years, but I have the memories of the great times I had & will never forget Summerland, even know my time spent there was in the 90's, quite a long time following the 1973 Disaster. But I have fond memories of summerland and I to did win the talent competion in summerland. I was one of the worst things that has ever happened on our small Island and none of us will ever forget the event. The decor made it look like a tropical fairyland in places with the waterfall which looked like it was tumbling into the building from where the cliff-face was at the rear of the building. Location:Isle of Man Posted February 17, 2006 Some photos of Summerland and the demolition (I'll post them in batches because uploading all at once seems to mess up the order) Quote Regulars 7.1k Gender:Male Location:Isle of Man Posted February 17, 2006 Damn flood control Quote The Old Git Regulars 7.1k Gender:Male Location:Isle of Man The centre reopened in June 1978. My dad raised the alarm after I smelt smoke coming from a slot machine. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for LIGHTHOUSE DOUGLAS - ISLE OF MAN ( T30 ) at the best online prices at eBay! Siobhan McHaleWe had a family holiday on the IoM when I was 6. I remember hearing a woman shouting "My God, my children are in there", which I still find a bone-chilling thought. Lots of wildlife viewing!! Fifty people were killed and 80 seriously injured. The pool was salt water and it made my eyes sting. Semi-detached house for sale in Seacroft, 3 Summerland, Ramsey IM8 Just added. I had a great time. Located in the heart of Douglas, the capital of the Isle of Man, the complex was a landmark of the island, offering a wide range of attractions for both locals and visitors alike. There's not much left of the place. Property description & features. CLOSED COMPLETELY! My mum eventually took me and my sisters and I couldn't believe how new and lovely everything was. You were certainly spoilt for choice - you could go swimming in 2 lovely new pools, rollerskate or play a multitude of sports in the massive sports hall, moonwalk in a big white type of enclosed bouncy castle (which like everything in there had a distinctive new smell). In The Summerland Story written by Robert Kelly he promotes the centre as a holiday town where it never rains, the wind never blows and the temperature never gets chilly. Then with my children to manxland,their first birthday parties, my sisters-in-laws fashion shows & watching cousin's children do ballroom dancing & they're just a handfull of memories!Summerland was a one off & while the Villa Marina is a part of our islands history & heritage, there will never be another place like Summerland - it's in a league of it's own. Map. I feel there should always be something incorporated into whatever is built or put on the site to commemmorate the people who died. STORY. I remember seeing below us musicians from the group who had been on stage swimming across the learner pool, one of them with his guitar. Majestic Apartments can be found a short distance along on the right hand side. I still remember those who died and those who lost loved ones. When expanded it provides a list of search options that will switch the search inputs to match the current selection. Summerland. Summerland was only a mile away from the District General Hospital and there was no clearing station for preliminary assessment of the injured. I stood on the prom looking over at the Summerland complex contemplating whether to give it a go or not. The fire exits - clear glass ones, all in a row - were locked which I guessed afterwards was to prevent people paying for access to one area and then going to the other as well. It was a lovely place but it's so sad the way it all ended. IMS VINTAGE PHOTOS IMS VINTAGE PHOTOS THIS IS AN ORIGINAL VINTAGE 394351480931 [9] The building's open-plan design included many unblocked internal spaces that acted as chimneys, adding to the conflagration. Summerland was fulfilling its promise of taking Manx tourism into the future. My parents had gone for a drink and I was looking after myself on my own in the safety that was 1973 in the fantastic Isle of Man. 34808 | VAT Registration Number: 001090349 Directors . Continue along King Edward Road beyond the new offices of Royal Skandia. Game & Entertainment Centers. The Summerland disaster occurred when a fire spread through the Summerland leisure centre in Douglas on the Isle of Man on the night of 2 August 1973. We spent alot of time in Summerland it was a great venue for all the family. The Manx Development Corporation is part of the strategy for realizing economic, social and environmental benefits through enabling full utilization of government owned land and property assets and acting as a catalyst for regeneration and repurposing of urban and brownfield sites. The Summerland Tragedy, Isle of Man.On the 2nd of August, 1973, a fire broke out in . I finished work on the 1st of August after working in the bar because Ihad run out of money. I still remember the screams and panic, they haunt me to this day. We went back when they rebuilt it but it didn't have the same atmosphere & at first people almost seemed to be looking over their shoulders as if they were waiting for something to happen, it was strange. fire, which triggered a major change in fire regulations on the Island. Continue along King Edward Road beyond the new offices of Royal Skandia. I was 9 and on holiday with my Mum, brother and Uncle Peter (Mum's brother), the aim of the holiday being to give Mum a break after my Dad had died following a long illness. was the development of an entertainment complex, which was completed in 1970. I've not lived on the Island for 10 years, but I have the memories of the great times I had & will never forget Summerland, even know my time spent there was in the 90's, quite a long time following the 1973 Disaster. Zoom in to cu of Summerland Complex and fire damage 2. vs fire damage 3. On the evening of Thursday 2nd August 1973 an estimated 3,000 people were enjoying themselves at the resort. The state-of-the-art facilities put the Isle of Man on the map as one of the most important tourist destinations in the British Isles. I remember seeing balls of fire dropping from the top of the structure this was the so-called inflammable Oraglass (?) My dad raised the alarm after I smelt smoke coming from a slot machine. If you like to see Seven Sisters - view in Seaford, United Kingdom or any other wonderful filming locations from Summerland, start scrolling. [14] No specific individuals or groups were blamed and the deaths were attributed to misadventure, although the delay in evacuation and the flammable building materials were condemned. I was too young to realise what had happened but it makes me feel cold now. Summerland was such a great place to hang out and I would guess that most of the Isle of Man population that was around at the time of the fire is still in shock. It wasn't until we were on the promenade at a safe distance that I looked back to see the building completely engulfed in flames. I think they must have broken through a back wall or something to get there. A couple of the girls had been at the afternoon disco but were on their way back to the digs when the fire must have taken hold. Location. My Mum persuaded me not to stay any longer in the childrens' play area in the basement, so we returned to the gallery area overlooking the stage/dancefloor to join my brother and uncle. Although I remember when the fire happened (as a relative was working there that evening and thankfully survived), my happy memories are also quite vivid as I used to go there many times, especially during school holidays. I made lots of friends both from the island and liverpool. I was too young to realise what had happened but it makes me feel cold now. My Mum persuaded me not to stay any longer in the childrens' play area in the basement, so we returned to the gallery area overlooking the stage/dancefloor to join my brother and uncle. The scale of the fire has been compared to those seen during the Blitz. 7. vox pop older man re. I finished work on the 1st of August after working in the bar because Ihad run out of money. OK.What's with the 3 school-boys, what caused the fire?Accident or sabotage was an investigation carried out?Tell us more! We came back to the island the year after the fire and we stayed in Oncan. There were posters everywhere and everyone was talking about it. Follow on beyond Summerland and Port Jack. Lomas wanted to create the illusion of being outside and to this end he planned to cover exposed cliff faces with tropical plants while allowing wild birds to live and fly throughout the building. The Summerland building in Douglas was the first of its kind in the world. In the summer everyone enjoyed the talent competitions which were great fun. Property & houses for sale in Isle of Man *DISCLAIMER. The pool was salt water and it made my eyes sting. Summerland complex, Isle of Man Isle of Man Tram and Summerland Leisure Centre. Just a stump of a diving board and the deep end of the Aquadrome pool, now home to about twenty billion pigeons The Brutalist concrete exterior concealed a range of sports and leisure facilities, all very wholesome and family-oriented. Condition is excellent. I will never forget her and that night that I nearly died.Sincerely John McGimpsey, Newtownards N Ireland. My parents had been to the site of the fire thinking I was in there as I had been all week. We never knew if she saved our lives. When it opened Summerland w Denis Cowley QC acted for the Douglas Corporation. Fifty people were killed and 80 seriously injured. Most of week had been spent at the evening disco and I still have photos and the weekly ticket from our good times there. With the building also suffering from concrete cancer, the remainder of the site closed in 2004, and demolition began in January 2006. I was 7 and on holiday with family,that inluded aunts,uncles and cousins.A lot of us had been holdaying in Douglas that week and we spent a lot of time in Summerland.It was a great place to spend the day.It had all the ammenities ,everything you wanted was there,a funfare ,indoor heated swimming pool,indoor amusement arcade.It had bars,a disco's everything.On the night of the fire, we just finished our evening meal in our hotel and we began walking up Douglas promenade ,going towards Summerland,when we noticed smoke billowing up from behind the building,the next instant the entire building was engulfed in flames.I remember seeing people pouring out of the building,some were on fire,it was horrific.We were standing some distance away and I could not take my eyes off it.The explosions from the burning building boomed across Douglas bay.I had never seen so many injured people before and it is something that I wll never forget.The following morning we all cut our holiday short and returned home,as the ferry was leaving Douglas we all stood on the boat deck ,staring at the burnt out shell of Summerland.Have never been back to IOM since that terrible fire. The building's exterior and the interior were designed by two different architectsthey did not coordinate their planning with each other and thereby created a venue with significant fire risks that were to become apparent only later. tracyI am a surviver of this tragedy.I still have nightmares. (Good move as it happens - I understood later that about 12 people were found dead at the bottom of that staircase, which I seem to recall did not have proper handrails round it, being largely decorative.) There was a lot of excited anticipation before it opened. complex was rebuilt in 1976 and opened again in 1978. Everthing about that place was magical, everyone had a smile on their face & the atmosphere was exciting. I worked in Summerland a week before it burnt down. The fire services were not called for over 20 minutes,[5] and even then the call did not originate from Summerland. 14a Majestic Apartments King Edward Road Onchan IM3 2BD. The transparent roof was composed of 6 ft acrylic bronze-tinted sheets so that the natural light filtering through would appear like golden rays. We found them distraught watching the flames as they thought we were in the building. I was 17 and with my boyfriend at the time. Brings back great memories of times spent on the island. Following many goes on the slide (the attendant was very friendly and let me have many free rides!) The Summerland disaster occurred when a fire spread through the Summerland leisure centre in Douglas on the Isle of Man on the night of 2 August 1973. The fire spread to the wall's interior soundproofing material, which was highly combustible, causing an intense fire that ignited the flammable acrylic sheeting that covered the rest of the building. We got out past the swimming pool - as a lady carrying some keys ran towards the doors to unlock them. [10], Because of the locked fire doors, many people headed to the main entrance, which caused a crush.[9]. Looking at the picture of the pool makes me sad!! Also had a vague recollection that the lads who were smoking near a kiosk which led to the fire, came from Liverpool. Welcome to Summerland Today! Summerland was rebuilt, but staff and visitors to the site reported the sounds of screaming, hearing footsteps along empty passages, and occasionally seeing ghostly people wandering around the area. I'll never forget the tragedy and the emptiness we felt after that horrific day. seeing many bodies, young people burned beyond recognition There were cafes and bars to relax in when you needed a drink. 6. vox pops boys re. I WILL RETURN AS THERE IS A KIND OF MAGIC ATTRACTION ABOUT THE ISLAND,I SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER 'THE GEM IN THE IRISH SEA' WAYNE FORD, Moonwalk,rollerskating & swimming, just 3 of the things that kept myself, my brother & cousins entertained for hours. dotty kiddI was 17 and was working there at the time of the fire, it was total panic, the fire spread so fast and no body could get out due to the doors being locked, I managed to get my friend away safely but with all the panic going on around I ended up in a daze, I dont know how I got out but remember someone pulling me, I got out befor the first explosion went off. I was 17 and with my boyfriend at the time. I was one of the worst things that has ever happened on our small Island and none of us will ever forget the event. Summerland was an odd mix of styles: one half light, airy and modern; the other windowless and concrete. the old building demolished. We saw the fire take hold and like many others my parents were shocked and crying at the horror of the tragic loss of life. After another few minutes the flames had spread over the top of the building and were beginning to engulf the whole place, it was horrible to see. Summerland was a high tech leisure centre that was built in Douglas, on the Isle of Man, and opened in 1971. I hope you'll find it a useful means of info as to the current status of the site; my hopes for the Isle of Man Government to develop a memorial space there dedicated to the 50 killed in the fire of 2nd August 1973; the one minute's silence I organise on the anniversary of the fire; the Summerland Memorial Concert held each year; together with links and blogs. Outside its raining yet here you are relaxed in your shirt sleeves, gently perspiring in a tropical 80 degrees.. The year before the fire we were taken to Summerland to watch a syncronised swimming display. sammy hamiltonI worked in Summerland a week before it burnt down. August ISLE of MAN "SUMMERLANDS DOUGLAS" DESTROYED BY FIRE 2nd AUGUST 1973 POSTED 1974 Street Cars Derby Vehicles Swiss Derby Castle before Summerland was demolished J Judith B summerland isle of man August 2013 My Heritage 40th Anniversary Birth Gem Sidewalk Memories StuartI was 9 at the time of the Summerland fire and on holiday with my Mum and Dad staying at the Granada Hotel as we always did then. Catherine WoodhouseI was 9 and on holiday with my Mum, brother and Uncle Peter (Mum's brother), the aim of the holiday being to give Mum a break after my Dad had died following a long illness. We were first alerted to it by the noise from the fire engines.Looking out the window of the boarding house we saw the flames. What a great place. On the night of the fire I had decided, for some unknown reason, to spend some time on the ASTROGLIDE (who remembers that ?) 05 Apr 2023 - 16 Apr 2023. jilliani loved summerland it was amazing the play area and the skating the swim baths and all shame the way things went, WAYNE FORDHI, I PLAYED THE SUMMERLAND DISCO WITH MY BAND 'ROCOCO' THE YEAR BEFORE THE FIRE,I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE WHO REMEMBERS 'ROCOCO' I HAVE SOME VERY FOND MEMORIES OF MY TIME THERE, I HAVE VISITED THE ISLAND ONCE SINCE THEN,QUITE BY CHANCE IT WAS THE YEAR BEFORE THE DEMOLITION TOOK PLACE,BUT I SUPPOSE I COULD SAY GOODBYE. We were there the night before the fire, we just thatought the "moving staircase" by the front door was the best thing ever. Douglas (Man The whole thing ended so tragically but it's important to remember the good times too. Her Name was Julie Panter, and her friend Dawn Ellingham wrote to me to tell me this. The water in the pool was lovely and hot and we used to go out and stand in a cold shower and the cold foot bath then dive into the pool to get that even warmer feeling. It was a lovely place but it's so sad the way it all ended. celiaI was on holiday at the IOM with a group of girl friends the week of the Summerland fire. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Much thought was given to bringing a sunshine-feel to the building. The latter idea was eventually scrapped when it was discovered some of the birds were poisoning themselves by eating the plastic foliage. We never knew if she saved our lives. It was my last night on the IOM with my BB Company from N Ireland. It does not take away from the fact that it was for a few years, a great place to be. [9] The centre was seriously damaged by the fire. I will never forget her and that night that I nearly died.Sincerely John McGimpsey, Newtownards N Ireland. Location: Isle of Man Date Posted: 4/5/2017 2:49:35 PM Waymark Code: WMVDNA Douglas, Isle of Man IM1 2SE Registered in the Isle of Man No. Bob EmeryWhen Summerland opened it was sensational here on the IOM. I remember the main floor in front of the stage with all the deck chairs & the straw umbrellas, the music, the talent shows. I stood on the prom looking over at the Summerland complex contemplating whether to give it a go or not. [18], Forty years after the tragedy, a permanent memorial in the form of three granite columns was unveiled at Kaye Memorial Gardens, at the bottom of Summer Hill. This part of the building was clad in a material called Galbestos: profiled steel sheeting with asbestos felt on both sides coated with bitumen,[5][8] with no fire-resistant qualities. At first we thought it was only a small fire but we soon became aware that it was a lot more serious. Ricky Rooney, DouglasFor me, Summerland was the hub of all my childhood memories, I would be there at least 4 times a week. The site was acquired by Douglas Corporation in 1964 and 1. We hadn't had decent swimming baths for a long time in Douglas and for that reason alone I couldn't wait to get in and have a look. The Summerland site is to go on sale after Manx government attempts to find a private development partner failed. It is a British Crown dependency (and therefore not part of the United Kingdom itself); the UK is responsible for defence and foreign affairs. [13] The inscription on the 1998 disaster memorial did not give a death toll; its 2013 replacement lists all 50 names. The fire quickly spread across the sheeting on the leisure centre walls and roof, and through vents which were not properly fireproofed. The venue attracted thousands of people to the. There were posters everywhere and everyone was talking about it. I WILL RETURN AS THERE IS A KIND OF MAGIC ATTRACTION ABOUT THE ISLAND,I SHALL ALWAYS REMEMBER 'THE GEM IN THE IRISH SEA' WAYNE FORD, Crazy Carol, OnchanMoonwalk,rollerskating & swimming, just 3 of the things that kept myself, my brother & cousins entertained for hours. These proposals will necessitate significant investment but will enable us to rectify core issues that have compromised the integrity of the building in recent years, such . Canada Revenue 1/5 Excise Tax Matchbook "SUMMERLAND GROCETERIA" West Summerland C$10.00 Seller: DeveneyStamps ( 4410 ) The island is in desperate need of some alternative. We crossed onto the promenade via a walkway which crossed the road, I think. [1] [2] [3] Background Summerland was opened on 25 May 1971. Summerland for me, like many others who grew up on the Island was one of the main places that you could find entertainment of all forms from Rollerskating through to catching a afternoon film in the cinema. Humans colonised it by travelling by sea some time before 6500 BC. Everywhere we went afterwards there was requests for blood donors it was so sad, and I think we were all glad to get home. A period semi-detached double fronted town house built circa 1864, set along a quiet cul-de-sac, yet within easy walking distance of the shops and cafes of Parliament Street. I wondered why she was fussing me so much and so upset, after all, I was fine. It does not take away from the fact that it was for a few years, a great place to be. The scale of the fire has been compared to those seen during the Blitz. [15] Changes to building regulations to improve fire safety were introduced. When they couldnt locate me they began their search for me on the prom. "Good crispy duck and great main dishes.". Opened with much fanfare a little more than two years earlier on 25 May 1971, the 2m climate-controlled building boasted restaurants and bars, an indoor heated swimming pool, saunas, a children's theatre and an underground disco. My Mum and I started to go towards a spiral staircase which led towards the main entrance but my uncle steered us further along the gallery to where there were fire exits leading to the swimming pool area. Seacroft, 3 Summerland, Ramsey. We would spend alot of time up there because of the pool and because they could keep and eye on us and have a drink at the same time. "Services weren't equipped for Summerland disaster", "Article about the disaster based on the report by Dr Ian Philips", "Remembering the Summerland fire disaster, 40 years on", "Isle of Man 'shame' over Summerland fire disaster", "Remembering The Summerland Disaster 40 Years On", "Asbestos information centretrade names", "Summerland fire survivor: 'I don't blame dad for saving my sister and leaving me in blaze but I never got to tell him', "Summerland fire: Fifty victims remembered on anniversary", "Summerland disaster survivor: 'I still dream of people in flames', "THE SUMMERLAND SITE IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY", "Summerland fire memorial built to mark 40th anniversary", "Summerland fire victims remembered on 40th anniversary", 1972 amateur film of pre-disaster Summerland, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Summerland_disaster&oldid=1142829611, Fire disasters involving barricaded escape routes, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 4 March 2023, at 16:12. janice gale from dreghorn scotlandI was 13 when summerland went on fire i still remember that night clearly my mum and i had told my dad that we were going to summerland while he went to the villa marine to watch wrestling but just before the bus stopped we changed our mind and went to white city we had just got into white city when we were told summerland was on fire we had to walk all the way round onchan to get back to the prom its a scene you will never forget seeing people jumping into the sea to get away from the flames even when we came home on the boat your were reminded again as we had to wait until all the coffins were taken of first as a mark of respect. Location: Doolish; Share; Posted July 3, 2008. . The panic started and we all headed for the fire exit down the steps, only to find the doors were locked. Nicole SmithThe queue to get into the swimming pool with my Mum, Dad & brother and of course the smell. Find it on the Isle of Man | Business, Restaurants, Classifieds, Events and more To access your webmail, click Sign In Find it on the Isle of Man Click here to sign into webmail What's On? on arrival above somerland we couldnt beleve the whole building was an infurno (just where we would have been had we not been delayed)we left the site not beleving such a tragity could be hapening to those poor people,and by the grace of god spared us.with the passing of time and no disrespect to those who loved ones perished or were injured i beleve that summerland was a fabulous venue of the time and should be under another name be reserected for the people of the island and visitors alike,the past is the past and nothing can remain a stain of the building/archetects or goverment who built it in good faith and by unforcene events that happend.the island needs a new complex to invest in tourisem and for the island people to enjoy in these hard days ahead bring life back to the island as it was before the doom and gloom merchants moved in.being a stopover from the late 60s and with three children who were born here i personaly would like to see an indoor complex such as summerland revived. slide somewhere near where the Hilton Hotel is now I think. Marketed by Chrystals, Isle of Man I was told that the drummer from the show we had been watching did not make it. The worst thing was I could hear screams even from that distance, this has haunted me to this day. The worst thing was I could hear screams even from that distance, this has haunted me to this day. SUMMERLAND, DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN. carol burnsI survived that terrible disaster. [4], Summerland was designed to accommodate up to 10,000 tourists and consisted of a dance hall, five floors of holiday games, a rollerskating rink, restaurants and public bars. The street frontage and part of the roof was clad in Oroglas, a transparent acrylic glass sheeting.[5]. The rest is of course history. BBC Isle of Man, Broadcasting House, Douglas Head, Douglas, Isle of Man IM99 1SW, I was 16 at the time of the fire, like many teeagers in Douglas we spent most of our evenings and many a wet day at Summerland.We could occasionally get served in the bars and if not we roller skated on the big rink downstairs.The night of the fire we had left Summerland to go to the stock cars at Onchan stadium, we got as far as the Catholic church in Oncan park when we saw a thin column of black smoke and people began to gather at the cliff top overlooking the site.We ran across the golf course watching the smoke grow, by the time we reached the cliff, half of the seaward wall of Summerland was blazing with a thick sheet of jet black smoke rising hundreds of feet.From our viewpoint we watched the fire spread over the huge oroglas canopy and saw thousands of people pouring out of the doors.When the events of 9/11 were shown on tv it reminded me of Douglas prom that night, teeming with shocked people and emergency vehicles flying up and down.We ended up in the Granada hotel trying to phone our parents to tell them we were ok but the phones were busy.The next morning the whole town stank of burnt plastic and vans instead of ambulannces ferried the dead to a makeshift mortuary.I didn't loose anyone and I dont have nightmares, but it was a dark part of my childhood and a memory that is still often in my thoughts.
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