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The recent feature on Bolton Palais (Looking Back on March 15) was "nostalgia at its very best" for John Sutton, aged 74, from Astley Bridge. Here he contributes his recollections . . .

My recollections cover the years 1950 to 1960 - 10 very happy years.

Together with friends, and one in particular, Bill Wyre (who still a very close friend), we attended three nights a week on a pretty regular basis.

Mondays and Wednesdays we went dancing for one shilling and sixpence (7.5p), but if you were broke, it was only 6d (2.5p) to go on the balcony overlooking the dance floor - we spent a lot of nights on the balcony.

Saturdays was one price and, if memory serves, it was three shillings and sixpence (17.5p) The band, when bands were bands, had Phil Foster on piano leading Derek Healey, Don Banks, Geoff Gethins, Bob, Erik Larsen et al. Don Banks was also the vocalist.

On Friday nights, the Palais was often rented out for "long evenings" when a business company or association took over the place perhaps for their annual celebration.

Friday nights were the only time that the Palais was licensed for the sale of alcohol, so on other nights the patrons, or at least the male patrons, left the building with a pass-out for the local hostelries, such as the George, the Founders and the Bank, for some liquid refreshment - how we must have ponged to the girls we danced with after the interval.

To return to the dance band, I have a vague memory of a band formed of young musicians from the Palais patrons. Musicians such as Keith Elmer, Bill Allen, Frank Cooper and maybe The Bolton News correspondent Fred Shawcross. There may have been the Ionian dance band, but I never saw them play.

One enormous highlight every year was the visit of Ted Heath and his band. It was a tremendous big band of international quality which went on a swap basis to America when the Musicians Union sorted out their differences.

It was an opportunity for us to enjoy, in the flesh, the best of the of English big swing bands.

Another fabulous night was provided by the Johnnie Dankworth band, and his singer Cleo Laine.

In the late 1950s, big business moved in when Mecca bought the Palais. The whole scene changed.

The revolving bandstand was reactivated and we were made to have non-stop dance music. Not easy to change partners. A possible problem which applied to the girls as well as the lads.

It was all too professional and "big city" and I, for one, wasn't keen on it. The one thing they did give us was a very good, young jazz organist, Alan Haven.

For a while the discarded Phil Foster and his band played at the Nevada, but the venue did not take off and it wasn't the same as the Palais.

In 1960, I married Barbara, now my wife of 47 years. Oddly enough I didn't meet her at the Palais, but in the Winter Gardens ballroom in Blackpool.

All these visits to the Palais and all the other local ballrooms necessitated at least a little bit of dancing ability and like a lot of others I too went to Chorlton's in Manchester Road.

I took the bronze medal course up to examination level, but had to stop there as I couldn't afford the 10 shillings exam fee Bolton Palais, for me, was great - providing me with music and entertainment and the opportunity to legally get to close quarters with that bewitching creature, a girl. Lots of laughs and enjoyment, some disappointment, some very good friends and overall a happy time of my life.

7:45pm Saturday 10th May 2008

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