Saltcoats Pavilion (Dec 1999)

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Saltcoats Pavilion (Dec 1999)

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From: "Bob Galloway" <mail@xxxxuk>
To: <threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Saturday, December 04, 1999

I read somewhere recently that the Pavilion in Saltcoats was once used to draw up in invasion plans in the 1939-45 war. As a Saltcoats laddie this was news to me. Does anybody know any details on this, I would be interested to hear.
Bob Galloway


From: "Hugh McCallum." <hewmac@xxxx.au>
To: <threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Sunday, December 05, 1999

Can't help on that one Bob. But had many a good time at the Pavilion. Firstly in the mid-fifties when I though I might like to be an actor - never missed a new show at the Pavilion in the summer season. Later the late night dances attracted us teenagers. I think after that an expatriate (McLean)? arrived and opened it up as a bowling alley. Now I hear it's to be demolished.

Hugh McCallum
in Melbourne


From: "Jean" <sparralegs@xxxx.uk>
To: "Threetowners" <threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Monday, December 13, 1999

To all the ex Pat's who enjoyed a night at the Saltcoats pavillion, as from 4 day's ago it no longer exists. I've never seen a building demolished so fast it was down in a day.
Jean Boyce Saltcoats.



From: "Bob Galloway" <bobg@xxxx.uk>
To: <threetowners-digest@iList.net>
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 1999

Have they no mercy, what's next? The quay - no surely that will last longer
? What are we going to put on our postcards now ?
bobg


From: "Donald Cook" <doncook@xxxx.com>
To: <threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 1999

Hi,
this is a first contact for me. The note about destruction of the Pavilion triggered a number of memories. I recalled that my dad was a part-time usher at the Pav. around 1939 - 40. I remember he wore impressive white slacks and shoes. (I was 4 or 5 then.)
I recall seeing the "chorus girls" sitting outside between acts on those rare warm sunny evenings as we left the bathing pool. They looked GREAT.. (I was a bit older then.)

I recall the bitter cold first day at the bathing pool in mid May. It was a ritual to swim on opening day even if the water and air were in the 50's. We were lucky if the water ever got into the 70's during the summer. I recall the Salvation Army and Scottish Evangelistic Council services on the beach. Big crowds on the prom wall at both - that was before TV!. The children's afternoon services by the S.E C. were popular because
the "brothers" handed out caramels & other sweeties if you could recite bible verses in alphabetical order. We actually learned verses for sweeties during those wartime rationed days.

Now that both the Pavilion and the bathing pool have gone and the braes have been turned into a parking lot -sounds like North American urban renewal- what will they do next?

Don Cook


From: "Jean" <sparralegs@xxxx.uk>
To: "Threetowners" <threetowners@iList.net>
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 1999

A list member put out a posting about the Beach Pavilion had something to do with the war effort. There is a small article about it's demolition in this week's A&S herald. It was used as an intelligence base during WW2 and also Buffalo Bill and his wild west show played there. The site is to be made into a complex housing two cinema's, cafe,bar, restaurant, games machines (Pokies to our Aussy pals) and play area's for the wean's, bairn's, sprog's, rug rat's, kid's or whatever you want to call the little "Darling's".
Cheers Jean Boyce
Saltcoats.
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