Were you a Dirty Stop Out in a golden age for Southport nightlife? Former Southport Visiter journalist Jade Wright has penned a nostalgic book looking back at tripping the light fantastic at Tiffany’s in Ainsdale, or drinking Pernod and black at Toad Hall. This was the age of The West End Club, Shorrock’s Hill, The Dandy Club and The Sundowner, where big bands played small venues and girls danced around their handbags showing off their curly perms.
Her book Dirty Stop Outs’ Guide to 1970s Liverpool remembers a time of nights at The Scarisbrook Hotel or ‘The Brick’ as it was known, where the leisure coast was the place to be for beauty queens and Southport’s lively scene.
Now she’s writing the follow-up, all about ‘80s nightlife, and she’s looking for your help.
Memories of Birkdale Village in the 1980s revealed
“It sounds like there were some great nights at Dixieland, The Midnight Lounge by the Marine Lake to Minoo and the Moulin Rouge, The Dandy Club, Palm Court, El Tonel, Lord’s Wine Bar and of course The Kingsway.
“We’re also looking at the fabulous days out readers enjoyed, and in particular, the end of an era for lidos and bathing beauty contests. While many were embracing mass market foreign package tour holidays for the first time, the coast here was still filled with sunbathers, desperate to escape the heat of the city.”
Author and writer Jade Wright
The book will also look at Liverpool nightlife, and Jade would love tales of Southport stop-outs who braved the last train or the nights back from the city after big nights at Eric’s, The Mardi Gras, The Conti, The She, Allinson’s and the many other clubs in Liverpool city centre.
Do you remember 1980s nights out in Southport and Liverpool? Jade is now writing the follow up, a guide to great nights out from 1980-9. She’s keen to include as many memories, photos and memorabilia as possible. Send your memories to jade@jadewright.co.uk.
Dirty Stop Outs’ Guide to 1970’s Liverpool is out now at https://www.dirtystopouts.com/liverpool-23-c.asp and at Amazon.
