The Palais De Danse
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The Palais de Danse, Upper Parliament Street, Nottingham
The Palais de Danse, built by Midland Palais de Danse Limited, opened on the corner of King Edward Street, John Street and Convent Street (now Upper Parliament Street) on 24 April 1925. It was originally designed as a dance hall and billiard saloon. The first manager of the Palais was Finley Thayer and the resident house band was named the Syd Reubens Savannahs. The dance hall was considered to be one of the finest of its kind outside London and its exterior architectural features were distinctive, particularly the large ornate globe. The Palais could accommodate 1,000 dancers comfortably and dancing would take place every evening at 8.00pm, except on Tuesday and Friday when private bookings were undertaken. Daily tea dances took place at 3.00pm and music was often broadcast on the radio from the venue. During the late 1980s the Palais de Danse reinvented itself as a popular nightclub venue. It is possibly best remembered by club goers as the Ritzy and by clubbers across the country as one of the venues frequently visited by ‘The Hitman and Her’, a Granada television production which aired between 1.00am and 4.00am on Sunday mornings. This programme, first broadcast in September 1989, attracted over 1.6 million viewers at its peak, and was fronted by Pete Waterman and Michaela Strachan. In 2004 the Oceana Club (as the Palais was renamed) was refurbished and enlarged. Despite the names changes the Palais de Danse remains a popular venue some eighty years after it originally opened. source: http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/leisure/archives/exhibitions/buildingforlifeandleisure/palaisdedanse.htm |
The Midland Palais de Danse Ltd., Nottingham.
The principal place of public indoor amusement in Nottingham is undoubtedly the new Palais de Danse.
Easily accessible from all parts, this splendid building in Weldon stone in the Classic style forms a worthy addition to the many fine public buildings of the City.
The main hall floor is constructed on the latest system of steel springs and can easily accommodate 800 people. For the "Sitter Out," there are promenades and balcony promenades encircling the entire floor furnished with settees and tables.
A feature of the interior is the Electric Fountain, which sprays a myriad cooling jets of water lit into iridescence by beams of ever-varying light.
A celebrated Dance Orchestra is in regular attendance and professional partners of either sex are always available.
Private dances can be arranged on Tuesdays and Private Parties are catered for on other nights by arrangement.
The Palais School of Dancing will be pleased to receive pupils for all modern ballroom dancing; terms and full particulars given on application.
http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/monographs/nottingham1927/nottingham21.htm
The principal place of public indoor amusement in Nottingham is undoubtedly the new Palais de Danse.
Easily accessible from all parts, this splendid building in Weldon stone in the Classic style forms a worthy addition to the many fine public buildings of the City.
The main hall floor is constructed on the latest system of steel springs and can easily accommodate 800 people. For the "Sitter Out," there are promenades and balcony promenades encircling the entire floor furnished with settees and tables.
A feature of the interior is the Electric Fountain, which sprays a myriad cooling jets of water lit into iridescence by beams of ever-varying light.
A celebrated Dance Orchestra is in regular attendance and professional partners of either sex are always available.
Private dances can be arranged on Tuesdays and Private Parties are catered for on other nights by arrangement.
The Palais School of Dancing will be pleased to receive pupils for all modern ballroom dancing; terms and full particulars given on application.
http://www.nottshistory.org.uk/monographs/nottingham1927/nottingham21.htm
Billy Merrin's Commanders, Nottingham Palais De Danse, Lower Parliament Street, Nottingham, 1936
"I’m sure my Dad worked there around the 1950’s." - Sue Wickham
To follow or add to the conversation below - click here
(or on the dates below
AnnaMaria Bowler 3 May 2012 I worked in the snack bar at the Palais in the late 60s and also met my husband there....
Tony-Ann Miller:
Thanks Mavis this is great...do you remember the large Glass Dome on the top, the window cleaner who used to clean it Jack Jennings??... whilst cleaning it one day fell of his ladder and died on the roof following a heart attack...." Yes..a "pane in the chest" he also, that is before he fell off the ladder.... used to clean the windows at Will Hills on Trinity Sq. when I used to work there in the late 1950's.
Clive Barber:
Jack Jenkins lived on Colborn Street right over the back from us.
3 May 2012
Tony-Ann Miller:
Yes that's him, I lived at number 55. yes surname Jenkins.... he was sadly a very nice man.
3 May 2012
Mavis Baker:
When did he die Tony? .... I cannot say that I recall his name....perhaps mum and dad told me of the incident....oh it's all back in the mists of time somewhere....!!!
3 May 2012
Clive Barber
I'd guess around 1969/1970
4 May 2012
Tony-Ann Miller
Clive, not really sure.....but I think that you are about right with 69/70 ish...
4 May 2012
Terry Dexter
Thank you mavis,me and my pal`s used to stand around the outside of the floor looking at the girl`s dancing like many others did,,I never had the nerve to have a dance without a few pint`s,(Dutch Courage)??,,We used to say,to each other,"Hey" I don`t like yours,Lol.
1 February 2013
Jacqueline Newton
I met my future husband at the Palais de Danse. You are right about Dutch courage Terry, haha he sent his mate to dance with me first. hahaha
1 February 2013
Terry Dexter
Jacueline,I think a lot of men were the same,We are a very shy breed,I think it`s the fact that we might be refused a dance,That can get a bit embaracing when walking back to you mate`s and they take the mickey out of you,,Lol,
2 February 2013
AnnaMaria Bowler
I worked in the snack bar at the Palais in the late 60s and also met my husband there....
21 August 2013
Elaine Carter-Fox
My mum once told me someone fell off the top of the Palais and was killed, they were cleaning the ball.
27 August 2013
Tony-Ann Miller
Yes Elaine your Mum was quite correct...his name was Jack Jennings, he was a very well known window cleaner in the city centre....I recall that he had just completed cleaning the famous glass dome when he had a fatal heart attack...he was a really nice chap...I remember him as he used to clean the windows at Will Hill the tailors where I worked as a tailor from 1956- 1963. Tony.
27 August 2013
Elaine Carter-Fox
Ithink you are right about the date too Clive, I was not in England then, that's why my Mum told me about it.
28 August 2013
Elaine Walker
I spent many a happy hour dancing here.
28 August 2013
Jean Taylor
Hilda a lady i knew said in the early days her job was to dance in a sort of a cage .and people would pay to dance with her ,her husband was in the Band ,this went on for many years......Myself i liked dancing on the moving floor ,Saturday's were great .
28 August 2013
Elaine Walker
I also liked that moving floor on a Saturday!
(or on the dates below
AnnaMaria Bowler 3 May 2012 I worked in the snack bar at the Palais in the late 60s and also met my husband there....
Tony-Ann Miller:
Thanks Mavis this is great...do you remember the large Glass Dome on the top, the window cleaner who used to clean it Jack Jennings??... whilst cleaning it one day fell of his ladder and died on the roof following a heart attack...." Yes..a "pane in the chest" he also, that is before he fell off the ladder.... used to clean the windows at Will Hills on Trinity Sq. when I used to work there in the late 1950's.
Clive Barber:
Jack Jenkins lived on Colborn Street right over the back from us.
3 May 2012
Tony-Ann Miller:
Yes that's him, I lived at number 55. yes surname Jenkins.... he was sadly a very nice man.
3 May 2012
Mavis Baker:
When did he die Tony? .... I cannot say that I recall his name....perhaps mum and dad told me of the incident....oh it's all back in the mists of time somewhere....!!!
3 May 2012
Clive Barber
I'd guess around 1969/1970
4 May 2012
Tony-Ann Miller
Clive, not really sure.....but I think that you are about right with 69/70 ish...
4 May 2012
Terry Dexter
Thank you mavis,me and my pal`s used to stand around the outside of the floor looking at the girl`s dancing like many others did,,I never had the nerve to have a dance without a few pint`s,(Dutch Courage)??,,We used to say,to each other,"Hey" I don`t like yours,Lol.
1 February 2013
Jacqueline Newton
I met my future husband at the Palais de Danse. You are right about Dutch courage Terry, haha he sent his mate to dance with me first. hahaha
1 February 2013
Terry Dexter
Jacueline,I think a lot of men were the same,We are a very shy breed,I think it`s the fact that we might be refused a dance,That can get a bit embaracing when walking back to you mate`s and they take the mickey out of you,,Lol,
2 February 2013
AnnaMaria Bowler
I worked in the snack bar at the Palais in the late 60s and also met my husband there....
21 August 2013
Elaine Carter-Fox
My mum once told me someone fell off the top of the Palais and was killed, they were cleaning the ball.
27 August 2013
Tony-Ann Miller
Yes Elaine your Mum was quite correct...his name was Jack Jennings, he was a very well known window cleaner in the city centre....I recall that he had just completed cleaning the famous glass dome when he had a fatal heart attack...he was a really nice chap...I remember him as he used to clean the windows at Will Hill the tailors where I worked as a tailor from 1956- 1963. Tony.
27 August 2013
Elaine Carter-Fox
Ithink you are right about the date too Clive, I was not in England then, that's why my Mum told me about it.
28 August 2013
Elaine Walker
I spent many a happy hour dancing here.
28 August 2013
Jean Taylor
Hilda a lady i knew said in the early days her job was to dance in a sort of a cage .and people would pay to dance with her ,her husband was in the Band ,this went on for many years......Myself i liked dancing on the moving floor ,Saturday's were great .
28 August 2013
Elaine Walker
I also liked that moving floor on a Saturday!