Dancehall in County Arcade

[Chrism]

Jimmy Saville was the manager of the club. There was a resident orchestra there and my dad was the vocalist with them. They were The Dennis Langfield Orchestra. I remember my mum used to work in the 'handbags' on a saturday afternoon. There was a bar area down the bottom end and they had a parrot in a bamboo cage.

[iansmithofotley]

Hi everyone,I think that the Mecca Group was taken over by the Rank Group. I have searched but can't find the origin of 'Locarno' relating to dance halls, albeit there were many Mecca Locarnos all over the country. Nearly every reference links back to Locarno in Switzerland.I used to go to the 'Old Mecca' in the arcade from 1961 until about 1967. I mentioned in another post that Jimmy Savile was the manager and Dennis Peace was his assistant. Dennis later became the manager when Jimmy left. I also remember the 'bouncers', I can remember three. One was an east European chap with dark hair. He was a good looking chap with a good physique and was very quiet but friendly when spoken to. Another one was stocky with fair hair, called Scotty. The third one was a very tall and big man, also with fair hair. He had had an eye injury and there was some disfigurement around one of his eye sockets. He was called Tony but I can't remember his surname. He was a very friendly man and his day job was as a salesman in a furniture shop, possibly Maples. I think that he got an award from the Police at some stage for catching a thief or helping the Police, or similar.Between 1961 and 1965 I was a regular. I worked in an office in Leeds and even used to go every lunch time (6d. entry charge) when it was open from 12n until 2pm. I also remember the place being open on Saturday afternoons.In those days the upstairs licensed club was called the Tudor Club and there was a membership system for people over 18 years of age. I was never a member because I was initially too young and then never bothered to join. The other 'bar' area was down a few steps on the side opposite the stage. This area was like a lounge and in those days was purely a 'coffee bar' with no alcohol.I think that in the early 60's the band was called the Delaney band but this later changed to the Bill Barron Combo, they were awful. At this time you have to remember that most of the dance halls in the country and those in Leeds such as the Capitol, the Astoria and the Majestic had always been 'ballrooms' with live bands, some of them were quite large. Discotheques and dancing to records had not yet been invented as most of the music was 'big band music'. It was only when rock 'n' roll and skiffle developed in the 50's that small groups (such as three guitarists and a drummer) became more and more popular and 'pop' music started to take over. My point is that the 'Old Mecca' must have been one of the first places that played nearly all its music by using records and used a disc jockey. I remember the disc jockeys, apart from Jimmy, being Brian, Cliff and Les. Going back to the resident band - the Old Mecca used to have two periods when the band would perform. These periods were from around 8.25pm until 8.55pm and from 9.25pm until 9.55pm. It was funny because when the resident band came on, everyone left the dance floor and went to the Tudor Club or into the coffee bar and hardly anyone danced to the band.It was hilarious because at 8.55pm the band would finish playing and everyone would scramble back on to the dance floor and try to get a partner as soon as possible. The reason for this was that at 9pm it was 'Nine o'clock smooch time' when the lights were turned low, a large mirrored ball, suspended from the roof, started to spin with a spotlight on it creating 'stars' and slow romantic records and ballads were played. This went on until about 9.20pm when the music would liven up again until 9.25pm when the resident band would play again. The whole thing was repeated and the dance floor became sparse again until 'Ten o'clock smooch time'. In those days the Old Mecca closed at 11pm.I can't remember when it was but the Old Mecca changed its name to The Spinning Disc. It was probably when the Merrion Centre was built and the 'New Mecca' opened.Another funny thing was that whenever you went to the Mecca, all of the regulars always used to stand in their own specific place except when the lads were roving around looking for someone to dance with. The girls always danced in the same place on the dance floor (usually around their handbags). The Leeds United lot always stood near the wall opposite the entrance, the late Mick Shoebottom (Leeds RLFC) and his mates always stood just to the left of the stage. A few of the local 'gangsters' always stood near to the place where ladies' handbags could be deposited ('Handbag Corner') which was to the right of the stage. I also remember there being a cloakroom downstairs and upstairs there was a balcony which went all of the way around the building. I think that Jimmy Savile had a flat just off the balcony through one of the emergency exits.At night time, after the County Arcade shops had closed, there were a series of large, tall, metal fences/gates erected which sealed off the parts of the arcade above and below where the Old Mecca was situated. There was another large fence/gate at the entrance from the street (which is now under cover and now forms part of the Victoria Quarter - Queen Victoria Street?). Entry to the Mecca was via a gate at this entrance which was supervised by staff/bouncers.I often wonder how many Loiners met their future husbands/wives at the Old Mecca. They were very happy days.Ian.

[Chrism]

The Dennis Langfield Orchestra were at the Mecca in the late 50's to early 60's and moved to the Burnley Mecca in 1963. They played there (Burnley) for 3 years and moved back to Leeds, to the Merrion Centre Mecca, in 1966 for a short while before disbanding. I know this,as I said previously, my Dad ( Frankie Martin) was vocalist with the band at this time. I, or my brother, have some pictures of inside the Mecca, from that era. If I can find them I'll post them on here.

[Chrism]

ps It is well credited that Jimmy Saville was the 'inventor' of the modernday dicotheque. He was the first to have two record decks on stage, for the punters to dance to, instead of the Big Bands.

[cnosni]

LS1 wrote: Does anyone know why it was called the Mecca Locarno. Mecca I assume to be Mecca in Saudi Arabia and Locarno is somewhere in Switzerland I think there was a Locarno treaty in 1925 guaranteeing the new European borders post WWI.Seems strange that they should be named after these places, and although there are Mecca Bingo places outside Leeds it still intreagues me....Would be grateful if anyone could tell me the answer! I think it was a mix up,the proprietors wanted to name it after their favourite childhood pastime and the sign writer misheard what they had said.when they used asked their friends to join in there pastime they would sayWanna Leck at Meccano?Ok ok,i know i know!!

[Leeds lass in Oz]

My parents danced at the Mecca in the 1960's. But they met at ht Majestic. Does anyone have any memories of the Majestic Dancehall in City Square Leeds?

[dsco]

Good thread folks! Think the title could be a bit more informative now that we have some info on the place, so going to rename this and move it to the Buildings and structures section...

[johnnyg]

There was an underground club/disco in the Merrion Centre - The Phonograph. The entrance is now one of the kiosks I think.

[chameleon]

johnnyg wrote: There was an underground club/disco in the Merrion Centre - The Phonograph. The entrance is now one of the kiosks I think. If you do a search for phono, you'll find a mountain of info about it over several threads if you're interested in reading more.

[String o' beads]

iansmithofotley wrote: I also remember the 'bouncers', I can remember three. One was an east European chap with dark hair. He was a good looking chap with a good physique and was very quiet but friendly when spoken to. Another one was stocky with fair hair, called Scotty. The third one was a very tall and big man, also with fair hair. He had had an eye injury and there was some disfigurement around one of his eye sockets. He was called Tony but I can't remember his surname. He was a very friendly man and his day job was as a salesman in a furniture shop, possibly Maples. I think that he got an award from the Police at some stage for catching a thief or helping the Police, or similar. I remember Tony from other venues around Leeds much later. He did indeed have a disfigurement - I always thought he'd been glassed or something.Re The Mecca - I remember going downstairs to the Junior Disco on Saturday mornings. I also remember the likes of Bobby Collins and Johnny Giles coming in at lunchtime to go the bar as we were leaving, BEFORE their match. Bet they had twice and a fish with scraps on their way to the ground too. Talk about Roy of the Rovers.