3. ws firemen in orange coats looking at building. I dont remember the initial Summerlands complex, but I was in Summerlands in the mid 80's; after it was rebuilt and reopened in 1978; I was therer on annual camp with the scouts, that was the year I joined the scouts and that was the reason i joined, the trip to the Isle of Man.What a great time I had there using the swimming pool. Condition is excellent. I was 17 and with my boyfriend at the time. mike howarthI was at summerland in august 1973,and went to the groovey disco underneath,but it seemed a bit lacking in atmosphere compared to the clubs in Manchester.I was also in Douglas when Summerland set on fire and joined the long queue of people donating blood for the victims. 'We are keenly aware that the Castle Mona is a key heritage asset for the Isle of Man and extremely mindful of the great interest that the Manx public have in the property. The new Entertainment Centre was named Summerland and opened in the summer The island is in desperate need of some alternative. The Summerland disaster occurred when a fire spread through the Summerland leisure centre in Douglas on the Isle of Man on the night of 2 August 1973. I think it would be appropriate and (hopefully) not too disrespectful to the people who passed away there. 5. xx. Department of Community, Culture and Leisure announces future of Summerland site, Redevelopment of the Former Summerland Site - The Wave. It had been a last minute holiday booking and to this day I will not go on a last miniute booking holiday. [17], In October 2002, torrential rain caused damage to several structures, as well as two landslides behind Summerland which dislodged two 50-tonne concrete blocks that had once supported the roof of the original building, but had not been removed in the wake of the fire. Now it's completely gone & it is a shame but they will hopefully put something back there for the manx & visitors to enjoy & make their amemories last a lifetime too. VillaGaiety is the Isle of Man's premier ENTERTAINMENT venue. A couple of the girls had been at the afternoon disco but were on their way back to the digs when the fire must have taken hold. It was a tragedy but the happy memories as a child are still vivid even in my late 40's.My thoughts are with those who lost someone dear xx. The house has 4 good sized reception rooms, a breakfast kitchen, basement, 4 bedrooms, ensuite bathroom and separate wc and family bathroom. We felt at the time that it was the beginning of the good times here on the Isle of Man. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. on arrival above somerland we couldnt beleve the whole building was an infurno (just where we would have been had we not been delayed)we left the site not beleving such a tragity could be hapening to those poor people,and by the grace of god spared us.with the passing of time and no disrespect to those who loved ones perished or were injured i beleve that summerland was a fabulous venue of the time and should be under another name be reserected for the people of the island and visitors alike,the past is the past and nothing can remain a stain of the building/archetects or goverment who built it in good faith and by unforcene events that happend.the island needs a new complex to invest in tourisem and for the island people to enjoy in these hard days ahead bring life back to the island as it was before the doom and gloom merchants moved in.being a stopover from the late 60s and with three children who were born here i personaly would like to see an indoor complex such as summerland revived. Custom Mountain home in Tehachapi CA.-2 hrs from LA or 2 hrs from Central Coast. Now it's completely gone & it is a shame but they will hopefully put something back there for the manx & visitors to enjoy & make their amemories last a lifetime too. We actually visited the Summerland on the day of the fire, I can remember the night of the fire, we were staying in a hotel on the opposite end of the prom, I was there with my cousin and our Mum's and Dad's had gone out for the evening. SUMMERLAND, DOUGLAS, ISLE OF MAN. I've not lived on the Island for 10 years, but I have the memories of the great times I had & will never forget Summerland, even know my time spent there was in the 90's, quite a long time following the 1973 Disaster. Ian Phillips of Birmingham University suggests these reporting discrepancies explain why some sources have given incorrect death tolls of 49, 51, or 53. Phase II We hadn't had decent swimming baths for a long time in Douglas and for that reason alone I couldn't wait to get in and have a look. JaxuttonOK.What's with the 3 school-boys, what caused the fire?Accident or sabotage was an investigation carried out?Tell us more! Meanwhile a group of three school boys on holiday from Liverpool was hanging around at the back of the building next to a section of a dismantled fibre-glass kiosk. The fire spread to the wall's interior soundproofing material, which was highly combustible, causing an intense fire that ignited the flammable acrylic sheeting that covered the rest of the building. Bob EmeryWhen Summerland opened it was sensational here on the IOM. This part of the building was clad in a material called Galbestos: profiled steel sheeting with asbestos felt on both sides coated with bitumen,[5][8] with no fire-resistant qualities. 8. I will never forget her and that night that I nearly died.Sincerely John McGimpsey, Newtownards N Ireland. [1] [2] [3] Background Summerland was opened on 25 May 1971. On the night of the fire my Mum and Dad were taking me to see the Black & White minstrels, my much older brother and sister didn't want to go and went on the prom. We were in Summerland on the night of the fire, as we had been most evenings. As Bob says the smell of the place too & being in there when it was pouring down outside was amazing to us kids. Those were the days. was the development of an entertainment complex, which was completed in 1970. tracyI am a surviver of this tragedy.I still have nightmares. 1. The site on King Edward Road in Douglas has remained unused since the complex was. We crossed onto the promenade via a walkway which crossed the road, I think. I wondered why she was fussing me so much and so upset, after all, I was fine. The panic started and we all headed for the fire exit down the steps, only to find the doors were locked. The pool was salt water and it made my eyes sting. [7] The coastguard immediately called the fire brigade. xx. For just over two years the centre attracted visitors from all over the world. It was indeed quite glamorous and I know for a fact my mum and dad spent more than a few romantic evenings there, (We kids got packed off to our grandparents house!) The pool was salt water and it made my eyes sting. Seacroft, 3 Summerland, Ramsey. Her Name was Julie Panter, and her friend Dawn Ellingham wrote to me to tell me this. There are more than 2 filming locations on our site. (Good move as it happens - I understood later that about 12 people were found dead at the bottom of that staircase, which I seem to recall did not have proper handrails round it, being largely decorative.) Places - Lost in Time: Summerland Centre, Isle of Man - YouTube Hello, and welcome again to Places - Lost in Time, a series that looks back on the tale of places and locations that have. Gallery Click to Enlarge. from when I was an infant until I was a teenager.Also my dad and his friend used to have such fun jumping on the beaded filled cushions in the solariumI also remember being at home in Liverpool watching the blaze on TV and crying becuase I would never be able to go there again. I think it would be appropriate and (hopefully) not too disrespectful to the people who passed away there. County: . I wondered why she was fussing me so much and so upset, after all, I was fine. Follow on beyond Summerland and Port Jack. We came back to the island the year after the fire and we stayed in Oncan. As kids we used to holiday in the Isle of Man either at port St Mary or Peel. The complex ! Now I have my own kids of my age at the time of the disaster, I know why. Zoom in to cu of Summerland Complex and fire damage 2. vs fire damage 3. The death toll brought about a public inquiry that ran from September 1973 to February 1974. Summerland was a high tech leisure centre that was built in Douglas, on the Isle of Man, and opened in 1971. But I have fond memories of summerland and I to did win the talent competion in summerland. [10], Because of the locked fire doors, many people headed to the main entrance, which caused a crush.[9]. In 1973, the Summerland Complex suffered a tragic accidental We went to the shops on the prom and I still have Minnie the clockwork mouse to this day. The BBC reserves the right to edit comments submitted. It was the brain child of Douglas architect, Mr James Phillips Lomas who had been commissioned by Douglas Corporation to design a building which would attract visitors to the Isle of Man whatever the weather. We were first alerted to it by the noise from the fire engines.Looking out the window of the boarding house we saw the flames. There was a lot of excited anticipation before it opened. We would spend alot of time up there because of the pool and because they could keep and eye on us and have a drink at the same time. I remember the main floor in front of the stage with all the deck chairs & the straw umbrellas, the music, the talent shows. NOTHING! We got out past the swimming pool - as a lady carrying some keys ran towards the doors to unlock them. You are in: Isle of Man > History > Where the sun always shines. The lower floors were geared towards children and teenagers, with a disco, fairground. We came back to the island the year after the fire and we stayed in Oncan. A survivor of the devastating Summerland fire on the Isle of Man which killed 50 people, including 15 from Merseyside and Cheshire, has made an emotional appeal for the three Liverpool friends who . This, coupled with the constant sirens of emergency vehicles, is what made this the worst night of my life. I feel there should always be something incorporated into whatever is built or put on the site to commemmorate the people who died. I was on holiday at the IOM with a group of girl friends the week of the Summerland fire. I remember walking past Summerland and seeing a rocking horse from a ride stood on its own. My parents had gone for a drink and I was looking after myself on my own in the safety that was 1973 in the fantastic Isle of Man. Dr Ian Phillips' book on the Summerland fire, revised in March 2021, is the most comprehensive account ever written of the disaster. There was a lot of excited anticipation before it opened. I was too young to realise what had happened but it makes me feel cold now. It was all shining, it even smelt new. There were cafes and bars to relax in when you needed a drink. fire, which triggered a major change in fire regulations on the Island. Siobhan McHaleWe had a family holiday on the IoM when I was 6. The Summerland site is to go on sale after Manx government attempts to find a private development partner failed.