Mecca Leisure Group

This article is about the former parent company. For its social and bingo club leisure subsidiary (now owned by Rank), see Mecca Bingo.

Mecca Leisure Group
Company typePrivate
Industry
Founded1933 (as Mecca Agency Limited)
Founder
  • Carl L. Heimann
  • Byron Davies
HeadquartersLondon, England, UK
Key people
Michael Guthrie, Chairman

Mecca Leisure Group (also known as Mecca Leisure Ltd, Mecca Ltd, and Mecca Dance Ltd) was a British business that ran nightclubs, hotels, theme parks, bingo parlours and Hard Rock Cafes.[1] During the 1960s, Mecca was a centre of entertainment with numerous nightclubs throughout major United Kingdom towns and cities. Mecca ballrooms were used for the BBC TV show Come Dancing.[2] Eric Morley was a general manager of dancing at Mecca Leisure Group and was involved in the Miss World competitions.

Notable DJs performing at Mecca nightclubs include Jimmy Savile[3][4] from 1960[5] and Pete Waterman.

The Coventry Locarno is the subject of the Specials song "Friday Night, Saturday Morning", B-side to Ghost Town.[6] Chuck Berry's live version of "My Ding-a-Ling" was also recorded there.

History

The Mecca Leisure Group has its origins in the Mecca Agency Limited, a company co-founded by Carl L. Heimann and Byron Davies in 1933 to operate the recently created dance hall chain Mecca Dancing.[7]

In 1989, the company acquired Pleasurama plc.[8]

In 1990, the Rank Organisation made an offer of £512m to acquire Mecca Leisure Group, which was initially rejected, and then accepted two months later.[1][9]

Venues

Venue Location Opening Later names Closure
Locarno Ballroom[10] Basildon 1961
Blackpool Mecca Blackpool 1965
Locarno Ballroom Burnley[11] 1962 Cat's Whiskers, Ritzy 1996
Mecca Locarno[12] Coventry
Ilford Palais[13] London
Locarno Ballroom[14] Glasgow 1926
Mecca Locarno Ballroom[5] Leeds 1938 1969
Locarno Liverpool 1948
Lyceum Theatre London 1834
Southampton Royal Pier[15] Southampton 1963 1979
Stockport Plaza[16] Stockport 1965
Locarno Ballroom [17] Swindon 1952 1969
Mecca Dance Hall Tottenham London 1910 2004
Hammersmith Palais London 1919 2007
Sherwood Rooms Nottingham 1957 1984
Locarno Bristol 1966 1991[18]

References

  1. ^ a b "The Rank Group plc - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on The Rank Group plc". www.referenceforbusiness.com. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  2. ^ "Come Dancing - UKGameshows". www.ukgameshows.com. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  3. ^ "A Study in Branding Popular Entertainment". meccadancing.com. Archived from the original on 28 January 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  4. ^ "Jimmy Savile". DJHistory.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  5. ^ a b "Leodis - a photographic archive of Leeds - Display". www.leodis.net. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  6. ^ "The Specials - Music / Lyrics". Retrieved 15 August 2015.
  7. ^ Nott, James (2015). Going to the Palais: A Social and Cultural History of Dancing and Dance Halls in Britain, 1918-1960. Oxford, United Kingdom: Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780199605194. pp. 26-27.
  8. ^ Ball, Aimee Lee (July 1991). "Mr Universe". New York Magazine. 24 (27): 38.
  9. ^ "Rank Group Plc - About us - History". www.rank.com. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  10. ^ "Basildon - A Chronological History 1960 - 1969". www.basildon.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  11. ^ "Locarno Ballroom, Burnley, England Concert Setlists | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm.
  12. ^ "The Coventry kid who made good". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  13. ^ "When the local palais was the place to be dancing". www.echo-news.co.uk. Archived from the original on 14 August 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  14. ^ Evening Times (March 30, 2015). "Memories: it was strictly for dancing at the Locarno Ballroom in 1962". Evening Times. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
  15. ^ "English Seaside Piers - Royal Pier, Southampton". www.theheritagetrail.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 April 2011. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  16. ^ "BBC - In pictures: Stockport Plaza". www.bbc.co.uk. 11 December 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2011.
  17. ^ "Locarno Ballroom, Swindon, England Concert Setlists | setlist.fm". www.setlist.fm.
  18. ^ Frogmore Street, Bristol, 1999, 7 February 1999, retrieved 29 February 2024

Read other articles:

Fouad Siniora

Prime Minister of Lebanon from 2005 to 2009 Fouad Sinioraفؤاد السنيورةPrime Minister of LebanonIn office18 July 2005 – 9 November 2009PresidentÉmile LahoudMichel SuleimanDeputyElias al-MurrIssam Abu JamraPreceded byNajib MikatiSucceeded bySaad HaririPresident of Lebanon(Acting)In office24 November 2007 – 25 May 2008Preceded byÉmile LahoudSucceeded byMichel SuleimanMinister of FinanceIn office26 October 2000 – 26 October 2004Prime MinisterRafic Ha...

 

Multiple Launch Rocket System

MLRS Het Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) is een lanceersysteem voor projectielen op een rupsonderstel, met meerdere naast elkaar opgestelde vuurmonden, waardoor het mogelijk is om in hoog tempo een groot aantal projectielen af te vuren. De MLRS kan binnen één minuut twaalf raketten (type M26) stuk voor stuk afvuren. De raketten hebben een bereik van minimaal 30 en maximaal 300 km. Een raket kan 644 M77 subprojectielen bevatten, die boven het doelengebied worden uitgeworpen. Hierdo...

 

29125 Київфізфак

29125 КиївфізфакВідкриттяВідкривач Карачкіна Людмила ГеоргіївнаМісце відкриття КрАОДата відкриття 17 грудня 1984ПозначенняТимчасові позначення 1984 YL1 1996 KO7Категорія малої планети Астероїд головного поясуОрбітальні характеристики[1] Епоха 23 травня 2014 (2 456 800,5 JD)Велика...

Sekolah Biara St. Joseph, Panchgani

Artikel ini sebatang kara, artinya tidak ada artikel lain yang memiliki pranala balik ke halaman ini.Bantulah menambah pranala ke artikel ini dari artikel yang berhubungan atau coba peralatan pencari pranala.Tag ini diberikan pada Agustus 2020. Sekolah Biara St. Joseph, Panchgani adalah sebuah sekolah asrama khusus perempuan di Panchgani, Maharashtra. Sekolah tersebut dimulai oleh The Daughters of the Cross pada Oktober 1895.[1] Referensi ^ Panchgani MunicipalCouncil. Diarsipkan dari ...

 

Cambodian People's Party

Ruling party of Cambodia Not to be confused with Pracheachon. Cambodian People's Party គណបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជាKhmer nameគណបក្សប្រជាជនកម្ពុជាAbbreviationCPPKPRP (before 1991)PresidentHun SenVice PresidentsSay ChhumSar KhengTea BanhMen Sam An[1]FoundersSơn Ngọc MinhTou SamouthFounded28 June 1951; 72 years ago (1951-06-28)[2]Split fromIndochinese Communist PartyHeadquarters203 N...

 

Schlesinger v. Reservists Committee to Stop the War

This article relies excessively on references to primary sources. Please improve this article by adding secondary or tertiary sources. Find sources: Schlesinger v. Reservists Committee to Stop the War – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (January 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) 1974 United States Supreme Court caseSchlesinger v. Reservists Committee to Stop the WarSupreme Court of the United StatesArgued January 14, ...

チャールズ・エドワード・オーガスタス・マクシミリアン・ステュアート

この記事は検証可能な参考文献や出典が全く示されていないか、不十分です。出典を追加して記事の信頼性向上にご協力ください。（このテンプレートの使い方）出典検索?: チャールズ・エドワード・オーガスタス・マクシミリアン・ステュアート – ニュース · 書籍 · スカラー · CiNii · J-STAGE · NDL · dlib.jp · ジャパンサーチ ·...

 

Flair Airlines

Canadian low-cost airline Flair AirlinesFlair Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 in the 2021 livery IATA ICAO Callsign F8[1] FLE[2] FLAIR[2] Commenced operationsAugust 19, 2005; 18 years ago (2005-08-19) (as Flair Air)2017; 6 years ago (2017) (as Flair Airlines)AOC #Canada: 14941[3]United States: F8RF148F[4]Operating basesCalgaryEdmontonKitchener/WaterlooToronto–PearsonVancouverFleet size20[5]Destinations36[...

 

Santiago Lambre

Mexican equestrian This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) The article's lead section may need to be rewritten. Please help improve the lead and read the lead layout guide. (February 2018) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material a...

Іванівська селищна громада (Одеська область)

У Вікіпедії є статті про інші громади з назвою: Іванівська селищна громада. Іванівська селищна громадаОсновні даніКраїна  УкраїнаОбласть Одеська областьРайон Березівський районКод КАТОТТГ UA51020090000073639Утворена 22 грудня 2019 рокуАдмін. центр ІванівкаТериторія та населе...

 

Nicolas Zimmer

German politician This article is an orphan, as no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles; try the Find link tool for suggestions. (August 2022) Nicolas Zimmer, 2019 Nicolas Zimmer (born 14 June 1970) is a German entrepreneur, lawyer and former CDU politician. He is the current head of the Berlin-based research institute Technologiestiftung Berlin. He was a member of the Abgeordnetenhaus of Berlin from 1998 to 2011 and concurrently the Secretary o...

 

Hallstatt culture

Archaeological culture in Europe Hallstatt cultureGeographical rangeEuropePeriodLate Bronze Age, Early Iron AgeDates1200 – 450 BC Hallstatt A (1200 – 1050 BC); Hallstatt B (1050 – 800 BC); Hallstatt C (800 – 650 BC); Hallstatt D (620 – 450 BC)Type siteHallstattPreceded byUrnfield cultureFollowed byLa Tène culture The Hallstatt culture was the predominant Western and Central European archaeological culture of the Late Bronze Age (Hallstatt A, Hallstatt B) from the 12th to 8th centur...

باتريشيا باث

هذه المقالة يتيمة إذ تصل إليها مقالات أخرى قليلة جدًا. فضلًا، ساعد بإضافة وصلة إليها في مقالات متعلقة بها. (يوليو 2019) باتريشيا باث   معلومات شخصية اسم الولادة (بالإنجليزية: Patricia Bath)‏[1]  الميلاد 4 نوفمبر 1942[1]  هارلم  الوفاة 30 مايو 2019 (76 سنة) [1]  سان فرانس...

 

Palm Beach Seafood

Restaurant in SingaporePalm Beach Seafood RestaurantRestaurant informationEstablished1956; 67 years ago (1956) in SingaporeOwner(s)Han Jin JuanStreet address1 Fullerton Road #01-09, One Fullerton, Singapore 049213CountrySingaporeCoordinates1°17′11″N 103°51′15″E / 1.286320°N 103.854262°E / 1.286320; 103.854262Websitepalmbeachseafood.com Palm Beach Seafood Restaurant is a Singaporean restaurant that first began along Upper East Coast Road in...

 

Australian Open 2014 (mannen)

Winnaar bij het mannenenkelspel, Stanislas Wawrinka Het tennistoernooi Australian Open werd in 2014 bij de mannen voor de 102e keer gehouden. Zij speelden in het enkelspel van 13 tot en met 26 januari 2014. Zie Australian Open 2014 voor het hoofdartikel over dit onderwerp. Zie ook vrouwen, mannendubbel, vrouwendubbel en gemengddubbel. Titelverdediger Novak Đoković uit Servië was het tweede reekshoofd. Hij bereikte de kwartfinale. Het toernooi werd gewonnen door de Zwitser Stanislas Wawrink...

Port Moresby

Capital of Papua New Guinea This article is about the city. For the fictional character, see The Sheltering Sky. Capital city in National Capital District, Papua New GuineaPort Moresby Pot MosbiCapital cityClockwise from top: Downtown of Port Moresby, Sir John Guise Stadium, National Parliament House, Jacksons International Airport FlagOpenStreetMapPort MoresbyLocation within Papua New GuineaShow map of Papua New GuineaPort MoresbyPort Moresby (Oceania)Show map of OceaniaCoordinates: 9°28′...

 

Gilah Kletenik

This biographical article is written like a résumé. Please help improve it by revising it to be neutral and encyclopedic. (October 2023) The topic of this article may not meet Wikipedia's notability guideline for biographies. Please help to demonstrate the notability of the topic by citing reliable secondary sources that are independent of the topic and provide significant coverage of it beyond a mere trivial mention. If notability cannot be shown, the article is likely to be merged, redire...

 

Portrait du Prince Balthazar Carlos

Portrait du Prince Balthazar CarlosArtiste Diego VelázquezDate vers 1632Type BaroqueTechnique Huile sur toileDimensions (H × L) 117,8 × 95,9 cmNo d’inventaire P12Localisation Wallace Collection, Londres (Royaume-Uni)modifier - modifier le code - modifier Wikidata Le Portrait du Prince Balthazar Carlos est une toile de Velázquez de 1632 qui représente le prince héritier né en 1629. C’est l’une des premières toiles de la maturité du maître sévillan....

Warton Aerodrome

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.Find sources: Warton Aerodrome – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Airport in PrestonWarton AerodromeAerial photograph of Warton airfield, the main runway runs NE/SW, hangars and technical buildin...

 

Ascensión Municipality

Municipality in the Mexican state of Chihuahua Ascensión redirects here. For other uses, see Ascension (disambiguation). You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in Spanish. (June 2015) Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the Spanish article. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and ...

 

Strategi Solo vs Squad di Free Fire: Cara Menang Mudah!