NOTHING! What a great place. Firemen were already on the scene and ran past us with hoses. The transparent roof was composed of 6 ft acrylic bronze-tinted sheets so that the natural light filtering through would appear like golden rays. There are more than 2 filming locations on our site. 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. 30 Mar 2023 - 05 Apr 2023 +. I was on holiday at the IOM with a group of girl friends the week of the Summerland fire. The concept was so radical that architect Geoffrey Ellis came to the Island to work for Mr [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. I remember winning a talent contest at Summerland when I was 6 years old.We went to the IOM every year for our summer holidays. 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). I was 5 at the time. complex was rebuilt in 1976 and opened again in 1978. Looking at the picture of the pool makes me sad!! This, coupled with the constant sirens of emergency vehicles, is what made this the worst night of my life. 8 ISLE OF MAN EXAMINER www.iomtoday.co.im Tuesday, June 27, 2017 BUILDINGS AT RISK Heritage: A look at the Castle Mona Hotel s history S A newsdesk@iomtoday.co.im Twi er: @iomnewspapers The journey from the jewel in Douglas s crown to an eyesore A nyone who knows the song The Ugly Duck - ling will know that the bird in 7. The latter idea was eventually scrapped when it was discovered some of the birds were poisoning themselves by eating the plastic foliage. When we noticed the black smoke to one end of the building - and the crowds looking in that direction - we started to move towards the exit. While children were entertained in the theatre, parents could relax upstairs. The average house price in Summerland, Ramsey, Isle of Man IM8 is . Fifty people were killed and 80 seriously injured. Property & houses for sale in Isle of Man *DISCLAIMER. Denis Cowley QC acted for the Douglas Corporation. Everthing about that place was magical, everyone had a smile on their face & the atmosphere was exciting. "So far the best Chinese I had on the Island ( and I lived 3 years in China) t.". I decided to throw a wobbly and asked for a toy as I didn't want to go to the show - overtired! The 3.5 acre Summerland resort, claiming to be the biggest and most innovative indoor entertainment centre in the world, was hailed by the British Tourist Authority as An outstanding tourist enterprise. Summerland complex, Isle of Man Isle of Man Tram and Summerland Leisure Centre. I was too young to realise what had happened but it makes me feel cold now. See where they filmed this movie from 2020 starring Gemma Arterton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Lucas Bond. The survivor and her mother were separated from her father and sister and stuck in the venue before being rescued through a window by firemen. Bit by bit over the years things would start to disappear, until by the end there was only "Manxland" left, my son really enjoyed palying there with all his cousins & it was a great place for Mums to meet on a Saturday & have a coffee while the kids played, we did that for a lot of years. As Bob says the smell of the place too & being in there when it was pouring down outside was amazing to us kids. 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. It was a strange building, influenced by the geodesic structure of Buckminster Fuller's American Pavilion at Expo 67 in Montreal. 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. We had a family holiday on the IoM when I was 6. (en) dbo:thumbnail 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. The fire services were not called for over 20 minutes,[5] and even then the call did not originate from Summerland. is now owned and operated by the Department of Tourism and Leisure. I would like to see an ice-skating rink there (which the Island needs). construction of a swimming pool, which was completed in 1969. But I have fond memories of summerland and I to did win the talent competion in summerland. My dad played a lot of squash so I was always there watching him, well trying.. it took me years to be tall enough to see over from the spectators gallery properly.Every weekend it would either be rollerskating, swimming or the play area in the day and at night we would come back for the cabaret and more time in the play area.Through the week I would be in Summerland for 5-a-side football and swimming lessons with my school.For years I knew nothing about the fire but was told by my parents at a sensible age, from this moment on I wanted to know what the place looked like as their description made it sound out of this world and it was!I have spent many an hour researching everything Summerland.I have to admit I did feel very sad when I saw this place coming down.A newer more aesthetically pleasing version needs to be built, we need a more resourceful entertainment complex on the Island, everthing under one roof.. like Summerland! The Summerland Tragedy, Isle of Man.The Summerland Tragedy, Isle of Man. It was the brain child of Douglas architect, Mr James Phillips Lomas who had been commissioned by Douglas Corporation to design a building which would attract visitors to the Isle of Man whatever the weather. On the night of the fire I had decided, for some unknown reason, to spend some time on the ASTROGLIDE (who remembers that ?) The site on King Edward Road in Douglas has remained unused since the complex was. I was 12 that year. 3. ws firemen in orange coats looking at building. xx. The scale of the fire has been compared to those seen during the Blitz. 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. 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. Her Name was Julie Panter, and her friend Dawn Ellingham wrote to me to tell me this. over 1.7 million (government grant of 600,000). The Summerland site today is in the ownership of the Isle of Man Government, derelict for 12 years and for sale for 10 years until January 2018 when it was taken off the market. LizAlthough 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. Douglas (Man Tehachapi, CA, US. It was a tragedy but the happy memories as a child are still vivid even in my late 40's.My thoughts are with those who lost someone dear xx. The Summerland concept was new and made the Isle of Man complex unique in the British Isles when the building opened in 1971. 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. We went to a show to see the Black and White Minstrels, that's when I smelt smoke. ISLE OF MAN: Summerland Entertainment Center - Vintage Photograph 1399665 - 12.48. STORY. The pool was salt water and it made my eyes sting. There were cafes and bars to relax in when you needed a drink. It does not take away from the fact that it was for a few years, a great place to be. The burnt out remains of the centre in September 1973, one month after the fire. Follow on beyond Summerland and Port Jack. They went to give bloood and looked for my brother and sister on the way. Siobhan McHaleWe had a family holiday on the IoM when I was 6. Tehachapi, CA, US. 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. In 1973, the Summerland Complex suffered a tragic accidental The fire quickly spread across the sheeting on the leisure centre walls and roof, and through vents which were not properly fireproofed. LOCATION From the Sea Terminal proceed the length of the Promenade. The state-of-the-art facilities put the Isle of Man on the map as one of the most important tourist destinations in. [13] The inscription on the 1998 disaster memorial did not give a death toll; its 2013 replacement lists all 50 names. Meanwhile a group of three school boys on holiday from Liverpool was hanging around at the back of the building next to a section of a dismantled fibre-glass kiosk. I was told that the drummer from the show we had been watching did not make it. 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. 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. John McGimpseyI was 15,and in the fire, but I escaped by jumping around the bannisters which were jammed with people too frightened to move on the stairs which were on the same side as the balcony with the crazy golf where the fire was started.. [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. It does not take away from the fact that it was for a few years, a great place to be. ! Location: Doolish; Share; Posted July 3, 2008. . Demolition of the site from Oct 2005. The panic started and we all headed for the fire exit down the steps, only to find the doors were locked. Her Name was Julie Panter, and her friend Dawn Ellingham wrote to me to tell me this. The Summerland leisure complex in the Isle of Man, a popular tourist destination for many years, closed its doors for the last time in 2018. on the night of the summerland fire,my wife and mother and father inlaw (in there late seventies) plus myself with a wife who was expecting a child,were due to have a drink in the top bar as a fairwell to there holls before returning to liverpool next day, due to a strange event my wife hair rollers broke down so delaying by half an hour our departure.we stoped at the laxey filling station only to be told the complex was on fire!! A lot of people on the Island will never forget what happened on 2nd August 1973. i remembr 1968-69 , I worked at White City on the Isle of Man , they were the eight best years of my life. Property reference . 420,000 Property details; The house has 4 good sized reception rooms, a breakfast kitchen, basement, 4 bedrooms, ensuite bathroom and separate wc and family bathroom. 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. I feel there should always be something incorporated into whatever is built or put on the site to commemmorate the people who died. 05 Apr 2023 - 16 Apr 2023. Fifty people were killed and 80 seriously injured. We felt at the time that it was the beginning of the good times here on the Isle of Man. It was so colourful and had such a happy and relaxed atmosphere. "Good crispy duck and great main dishes.". We actually visited the Summerland on the day of the fire, I can remember the night of the fire, we were staying in a hotel on the opposite end of the prom, I was there with my cousin and our Mum's and Dad's had gone out for the evening. Gray 2017 Keystone Summerland 2980 BH with 1 miles for sale at public car auctions in Carville LA on 03-07-2023. The complex The panic started and we all headed for the fire exit down the steps, only to find the doors were locked. As Bob says the smell of the place too & being in there when it was pouring down outside was amazing to us kids. 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. I remember the music and noise of people just enjoying themselves. Firemen were already on the scene and ran past us with hoses. I used to love walking round the place & everytime it was just as amazing as the first time.Then in my teens & 20's & 30's going to the cave & upstairs for the TT events from TT supporters club meetings,to gigs & tyre balancing. I loved it so much and will always remember it . When we finally reached the bottom the firemen were there to guide us out and just as we got outside, the whole place was engulfed by fire. My uncle saw someone he knew from our home town (Widnes) whose hotel was closer than ours, and he was able to phone family at home to say we were OK just as the story was coming on the news.We were all OK, apart from my uncle's cracked ribs from charging at the fire door, but the horror of the evening is still with me such that even lighting a candle is something I struggle to do and I always check out fire exits when I'm somewhere new.