did anyone use to go dancing at top rank in the mornings/affternoon in the 70s...

Do you mean the saturday morning ones? If so yes I did

Do you mean the saturday morning ones? If so yes I did

Frankie, did I take you with me ????


nice to know you're still around me old mate !!

Shaun

:hihi: :hihi: :hihi:

I went tuesday evenings in the 70s, probably 73 to 75. Me and my mate came all the way from Rawmarsh and I had to leave at 9.30 as my dad was outside parked across the road waiting for us.

I used to go on a Saturday morning around 1974/5 ish until they upped the age limit to 14. Tiger Feet by Mudd always reminds me of those days. We would don our long dresses and mum would put me some blue eyeshadow on. Remember drinking slush puppies there.

yes i went there when i was about 15 i can remember dancing to woolly bully :hihi: :hihi: and got drunk on 3 slushes :hihi: :hihi: ah; the good old days :thumbsup: .

yes i went there when i was about 15 i can remember dancing to woolly bully :hihi: :hihi: and got drunk on 3 slushes :hihi: :hihi: ah; the good old days :thumbsup: .
i use to go there 70 71 72 even 73 met my first hubby there phil bennett. he was great dancer with tinted glasses and long hair.
before meeting him though we use to drink barley wine followed by babyshame and had to be home by 11, just as every one was comming in. got drunk then sick. got home tried to look sober and smell sweet. thats proberly why i thought i was dancing to bully bully and when i talk about this song noone knows it. now i know why! dah

i use to go there 70 71 72 even 73 met my first hubby there phil bennett. he was great dancer with tinted glasses and long hair.
before meeting him though we use to drink barley wine followed by babyshame and had to be home by 11, just as every one was comming in. got drunk then sick. got home tried to look sober and smell sweet. thats proberly why i thought i was dancing to bully bully and when i talk about this song noone knows it. now i know why! dah

Oh those Barly Wine and Babysham days, I can feel it now :gag:

I used to go on a Saturday morning around 1974/5 ish until they upped the age limit to 14. Tiger Feet by Mudd always reminds me of those days. We would don our long dresses and mum would put me some blue eyeshadow on. Remember drinking slush puppies there.
Ah that brings back memories. I used to go on Saturday morning with friends and we thought we were so grown up. Tiger feet by Mud, coo ka choo by Alvin Stardust bring back memories. Those were the days.

Ah that brings back memories. I used to go on Saturday morning with friends and we thought we were so grown up. Tiger feet by Mud, coo ka choo by Alvin Stardust bring back memories. Those were the days.
I used to go, and these were among my fave songs too. Happy days! Pity they don't have anything like that for teens today.

I used to go to the Top Rank Suite every Tuesday night to the under 18s night. Then later on Saturdays. My mum used to work there when it first opened as a Bar Supervisor and my dad was the Floor Manager.
Some good times were had at The Top Rank.

This threads back some memories :D !!

My husband used to work there as the electrician on both Tuesday evenings and Saturdays mornings (as well as other nights). He'd started as a 'bouncer', but moved over as the electrician when the vacancy arose.

One comment I'd make is that slushes could not make you drunk on these sessions as all the alcohol bars were closed as they were under 18 sessions, so shorty558, you must have taken alcohol in yourself :D .

Also, Stars and Mayfair were nothing to do with the Rank :huh: , they were the suites above the Skates - Top Rank was on Arundel Gate across from the bottom of Norfolk Street. The building went on to become a church at one time, but I think is just empty now as it would be very difficult to knock it down - it is built on top of the NCP car park!!!!

Did anyone else work there in the early 70's and remember any of the Bob's who were there - I think there were five or six at one time :hihi: (including my husband).

I also worked there in the early 70's but behind the bar, not on the under 18 sessions as there was only the snack bar open athose times.

yes i went there when i was about 15 i can remember dancing to woolly bully :hihi: :hihi: and got drunk on 3 slushes :hihi: :hihi: ah; the good old days :thumbsup: .
I remember dancing to the Wooly Bully too so must have been there around the same time. Think I would have been about 13/14 at the time. I remember meeting and going out with a guy called Brian Hiley who lived on Hastilar Road.

No alcohol though - it was soft drinks only!!!!

Do you mean stars and mayfair suite ? what was the name of yr mum and dad ?
No don't think these were in Top Rank Suite! Didn't think the two floors had any names.

I first worked there from1969 -1971 as a waitress when they had dinner dances. I was at college at the time doing catering and we also were allowed in for free on saturday nights and that was where I met my husband.
We are still happily married after nearly 33 years,so the Top Rank has a special place in my heart.
I actually went back there to work behind the bar in1981 and stayed for 4 years until Barry Noble took over and it wasn't the same.We had some good times there and I made some good friends,two of whom got married and I still go out regularly with them.I often see some of the old gang and love to reminisse with them. I would love to go back inside to relive the memories!!!

[QUOTE=tigerlily]I first worked there from1969 -1971 as a waitress when they had dinner dances. I was at college at the time doing catering and we also were allowed in for free on saturday nights and that was where I met my husband.
We are still happily married after nearly 33 years,so the Top Rank has a special place in my heart.QUOTE]

Hi Tigerlily

You must have been there when Bob and I were there. Did you work for some one called Ivan or Ivor?

Bob started in about 69 as a bouncer, then moved across to do the sound/lighting work so he was there also during the day time getting ready for evenings. I started on New Years Eve, 71 and just collected glasses that night - what a night it was, absolutely packed solid!! Then I went on to work behind the bar until we both left about 73.

There were about five blokes called Bob around 1970 who all worked as bouncers so you may recall one or two of them as well. I can remember that there were several people who paired up, some of whom got married. I know one of the Bob's married an Ann and another married a Denise - all met up at the Rank and I'm sure many other people did.

I always have a soft spot for the Rank too. Some friends who have always lived in Mansfield area also used to come up to Sheffield for the Rank by minibus regularly - although we only got to know them about six years ago, we found out about the Rank connection when we got talking and we realised what a small world it is!!

Happy days :D

Hi Tigerlily, Stenner

Do either of you know my mum and dad, Gerald & Margaret Heeley (may have been known as Gerry & Maggie)? Mum was a bar supervisor and Dad was the Floor Manager.

Hi Tigerlily, Stenner

Do either of you know my mum and dad, Gerald & Margaret Heeley (may have been known as Gerry & Maggie)? Mum was a bar supervisor and Dad was the Floor Manager.

At the moment, neither of us can recall them, nor having bar/floor supervisors. The only person in charge of all the bars was the bar manager, Tony Hughes and also his girl friend (later wife) was Mal.

In one of your previous post, you mentioned Stars/Mayfair Suite (and I got the impression you meant they worked there) which was above the skates/bowling/bingo on Queens Road? The Top Rank was on Arundel Gate at the bottom of Norfolk Street - it is now an empty building and I did hear they are debating as to whether they can knock it down, but as it is built on top of the NCP car park so I would imagine would be a difficult job to do.

Stenner

Starts/Mayfair Suite was mentioned by someone asking me if that's where I meant.

Tony Hughes was my dad's boss! I'm surprised you don't remember him as he was bit of a "life and soul of the party". I also remember Mal before she was Tony's wife.

I'm trying to remember the name of the DJ at the Suitecan't remember if it was Simon or Robert (might even have not been either). Anyway, I remember him coming to stay with us at our house for a few nights as he'd nowhere else to stay. My mum and dad always had a bit of an "open house".

Unfortunately I cannot remember the exact years that mum and dad worked there, but I know my mum was definitely there in 72 as I remember going in with my then boyfriend and the bar person refusing to serve him as they thought he was under 18 (he was actually 21) and I had to get my mum to verify his age!

My dad was killed in a car accident in 74 and I remember Tony Hughes coming to the funeral.

yes i went there when i was about 15 i can remember dancing to woolly bully :hihi: :hihi: and got drunk on 3 slushes :hihi: :hihi: ah; the good old days :thumbsup: .

I remember doing the woolly bully. Sort of two jumps to the right and kick your leg twice, then to the left ... mind the arthritis! :hihi:

I used to go to Top Rank a lot in the early seventies(72-76).Went a few times to under 18s on a tuesday,but mainly on Saturday nights.I remember they used to have a d.j.. and a live band,cant remember the name of the d.j.but the band was called Morris Naylor and the N Men,they were pretty naff.The Rank had a revolving stage,each time the stage revolved and the band came around to start thier second set me and my mates would try and get on stage to lend a hand with the vocals,('cause as I'm sure you all know we can all belt out a tune after about 10 pints) this usually resulted in us getting kicked out by the bouncers,but the bouncers were always good with us,never thumped us or anything and would always let us in again the following week.
My most vivid memory of the Rank is the first night opening of Steely's.The Rank had been closed for a couple of weeks for a revamp and reopened with much fanfare as Steely's, the place was packed ,everyone having a good time,the d.j. was giving away free tickets and records.He was skimming the records out into the crowd on the dancefloor,Iwas happily bopping away when one twa**ed me right accross the bridge of the nose,I didn't know if it was new york or new year, I thought someone had thumped me ,I had blood pouring down my face,and the next thing I know is I'm getting kicked out ,the bouncers thought I had been fighting ,but fairplay to them after I explained what had happened they cleaned me up a bit ,got me free pint and a free ticket for the following week.Had some great nights at Top Rank / Steely's went just about every saturday night for about three or four years.
P.S. still have a small scar on the bridge of my nose.

So that's what it was Pat , a revolving stage,I allways thought it was the lager and green chatreuse chasers what made the room spin.

Just fancied reminising about old times after a night out last night at 'Hot Pants' City Hall so it was great reading this thread. I remember the Top Rank well. I also remember the Saturday mornings and Tuesday evenings and of course the slush drinks! The revolving stage was great, although I remember the dance floor clearing rapidly when the band came on. The ladies toilets had 2 entry/exit points. This worked to the advantage of some females who wanted to shake off lads that had been pestering them all night for a dance. They'd go in one entrance and then escape through the other. How cruel ey? Rumour has it that Kingdom may be setting up there soon.

I used to go to Top Rank a lot in the early seventies(72-76).Went a few times to under 18s on a tuesday,but mainly on Saturday nights.I remember they used to have a d.j.. and a live band,cant remember the name of the d.j.but the band was called Morris Naylor and the N Men,they were pretty naff.The Rank had a revolving stage,each time the stage revolved and the band came around to start thier second set me and my mates would try and get on stage to lend a hand with the vocals,('cause as I'm sure you all know we can all belt out a tune after about 10 pints) this usually resulted in us getting kicked out by the bouncers,but the bouncers were always good with us,never thumped us or anything and would always let us in again the following week.
My most vivid memory of the Rank is the first night opening of Steely's.The Rank had been closed for a couple of weeks for a revamp and reopened with much fanfare as Steely's, the place was packed ,everyone having a good time,the d.j. was giving away free tickets and records.He was skimming the records out into the crowd on the dancefloor,Iwas happily bopping away when one twa**ed me right accross the bridge of the nose,I didn't know if it was new york or new year, I thought someone had thumped me ,I had blood pouring down my face,and the next thing I know is I'm getting kicked out ,the bouncers thought I had been fighting ,but fairplay to them after I explained what had happened they cleaned me up a bit ,got me free pint and a free ticket for the following week.Had some great nights at Top Rank / Steely's went just about every saturday night for about three or four years.
P.S. still have a small scar on the bridge of my nose.
Hi Pat, Just stumbled accross your thread Yes Morris Nailor band was pretty naff. The Dj's, there were two of them Mike and John, Mike being the better of the two. I recall these as I worked there as a bouncer when it was Steeleys in 1975, maybe I was the one who through you out. Ha! Ha!
We used to stand at either side of that revolving stage, don't know why as we couln't see a bloody thing for the bright stage lights. I Had a great time working there and wouldn't have missed it for the world.

Used to go to the Sunday night club around 1969/70 time. Same set up as described complete with the revolving stage and everyone going to the bar when the band came on. I think the DJ was called Steve Just and described as the dancing DJ as he used to dance wildly to some of the tracks he played.

I seem to recall the band playing 'Proud Mary' quite a lot which probably explains why everyone went to the bar!