Forums Forums Wirral History : Chasing the Past History Information Request figure of eight

Access to the building at the time was extremely easy and believe me it wasn't locked up and secured, especially the doorway to the side by the lake. The lake was emptied some times but not as a matter of course each winter. I worked on it, I know. We sometimes walked on the ice when it was frozen over. If you look at the photographs of the building as they are demolishing it, the lake looks in a very sorry state and I don't think it was going to reopen at all. I am trying to remember but can't say exactly but we made a five aside football pitch in the empty lake knowing full well that it was not going to be used again. I think but am not certain that the tower building was still standing?

I've never heard of any ride in the Tower going into winter quarters. They stayed where they where with possibly the old wall of death going on tour usually to South Africa for the winter but that had long gone by the time of the fire anyway. True some would be covered up or partially dismantled usually for maintenance but I don't ever remember them being taken away and brought back. I will bow to anyones greater knowledge if wrong?

I can not remember anything working once the tower building was demolished but that is not to say that some things might have kept going on the lower level?

As a little aside, when the lake was emptied, poor old Mr Bedson in the tower lodge used to get flooded out.

Mmmm sorry Uptoncx You seem to be right, I got my date from two you tube vids but two others sites say April and (as an independent source) I looked at the fire brigade site and they say:

"On Saturday 5 April, 1969, a call was received at 05.08 am that a fire had erupted at the New Brighton Tower. The night before, the manager and staff had left the building at 8.30 pm after a routine check but the stage area, which is believed to where the fire started, was not included".

That would mean the season was open and as far as I'm aware, the site was still in full use (I know it was the year before and I spent 3 weeks there with my Gran who worked there). So I have no idea why the boating lake wasn't open!

Sorry Croc but I think that the lack of an answer to your question from most people proves that none of us can actually remember when the last of the buildings etc where cleared !!!! So it must have been a while ago but after April 1969!

Finally UptonCx Thanks for the info on the sprung dance floor I always wondered what it meant.

As we all seem to be ignoring Croc's question I've pulled my socks up a bit and had a think about things. The Tower burnt down in 69, most of the buildings (like the stalls, pay booth on the boating lake etc) had well gone when I used to visit New Brighton to watch the stock cars (1974 onwards) (although the old toilet block opposite the boating lake was still there in 1975) The race track and football stadium were still there even after that, with the last stock car meeting being 28th March 1976. A year later I bought a new motorbike, it was on this that I visited the Tower Grounds to watch a huge Ball and Chain machine obliterate the race track and surrounding buildings, as I only had that bike a year I would suggest that the Tower Grounds had been "Landscaped" by 1977/8. Hope that helps?

As a bit of an aside, if you walk along the prom on the inside of the sandstone perimeter wall of the tower grounds, not far from the new building they have built (sewerage related I think)you can see evidence of a fenced area, if you look carefully at this area you can JUST make out a set of steps (they lead up to the skateboard area above). The council smashed these and planted trees in the gaps then fenced the area off to protect the trees) as the cheapest way to clear the last vestiges of the old pleasure gardens. They really were determined that the old fairground would never again raise it's ugly head!