On arrival, they were greeted by more,freshly scrubbed bluecoats,on hand to help,guide them in the right direction for their chalet,answer questions. All questions received an answer.Sometimes it was even the correct one.
In those day,before the Gaming Act,the guest had to become `club members` and wear an enamel badge,and in order to partake of the odd game of bingo, they had to aquire a membership card..
What never ceased to amaze me was, no matter how long the journey,how hot the day,how heavy the luggage,or how tiresome the children were..the first question asked was invariable NOT `where can we get a cuppa`.or `where can we go for our nervous breakdown?`..it was `where do we get the bingo membership cards?`
Then it was a tearfull Auld Lang Syne, and off to bed at Midnight.
It may have been more than 40years ago, but the memories linger on,and remain as strong as ever!..........
There was a Spanish Bluecoat at Middleton Tower..name of Ramon(married to Norma, also a bluecoat) He was a nice quiet,young man, charming, and with that certain "something" (You ladies know what I mean!)All the ladies on site swooned at the sight of him.We could not keep up with taking photographs of ladies with him!..and to top it all..He could sing!
He used to play,lunchtimes in the Sundowner Bar.A favourite number was "Guantanamera".In the middle of this song there is a quiet,spoken part,whilst the melody plays in the background. Ramon ,whilst playing the melody on his guitar..would whisper sexily into the mic.in Spanish..and the ladies would swoon!
Funny thing is.....
What he was actually saying were things like "I wouldn`t kiss you if you were the last woman on earth"and you really are ugly you silly f..(overweight bovine)w!
We did warn him, that one day, there would be a Spanish speaker in the audience, and then he was "in bovver".but as far as I know, it never happened.
That year he was asked to perform in the middle of the Grand Finals,whilst the judges marks were being calculated.He brought the house down!
Rumor has it that after leaving Pontins, he was working in his Father-in Law`s shoe shop...
Wherever you are, Ramon...Good Luck!!
During the week of the Star Trek convention,he was fixing some problem in the Gents toilet in the Ballroom.In walked a chap, reslendant in biking gear..black leather, heat to toe.helmet under one arm, panier from a bike,under the other.
He put thes down...and well..did what he had gone there for..David, being interested in bikes, asked.."What bike do you have?"..Back came the reply..Oh..no bike, I came here on the bus!(and he was serious, not trying to wind David up!)
Maybe a Space Cadet??