Elvis Tribute Live!

Everyone loves a good tribute act, and they don’t come much better than this one!

Older members might remember the Abba Stars evening where the club was at full capacity.

This time it’s the return of Elvis, a tribute act performed by none other than the third place winner of the European Elvis Championships, Steve Knight!

You can check out his Facebook profile HERE

Dust off your blue suede shoes and come early (we suggest before 7pm) as once we are full there will be no admittance.

Free to members and just £3.00 for visitors including the usual guest fee.

All your favourite events for the festive season return this December, starting with a Christmas warm-up party on 11th and concluding with live music on New Year’s eve.

No expense has been incurred with the decorations as we recycle the barely used ones from 2020, the bar is fully stocked, and we have some real Christmas crackers for you – events that is!

Christmas celebrations last year might have passed you by or left you underwhelmed due to the constantly changing restrictions, so this year we are making extra effort to bring you more than just mistletoe and wine.

The season starts Saturday 11^th December with a Christmas Warm Up Party to help shake off the winter blues and get you in a festive mood, with 70’s and 80’s dance music brought to you by a live DJ and spot prizes on the night for those who embrace the vibe of the night in the most impressive style.

The full calendar of events for December is as follows:

Saturday 11th December – Live DJ with dance music from the 70’s and 80’s, and spot prizes on the night

Friday 17th December – Christmas carol sing-along followed by the Christmas Raffle draw – raffle tickets available from the bar

Friday 24th December – Christmas Eve live music with Lee Rivers, well known 50’s and 60’s rock ‘n’ roll covers from 9pm

Saturday 25th December – Christmas Day opening 12.00 to 3.00 pm

Friday 31st December – New Year’s Eve live music with Freeze Frame – see in the new year with more 80’s faves and an extension to 1.00 am. Tickets £5.00 members and £8.00 non members, available from the bar

Every Thursday – our very popular Quiz night and meat raffle

For updates please see our EVENTS PAGE

In between, have a break from the Christmas shopping and take advantage of our special offer meal deals between 12pm and 4pm Tuesday to Friday weekly. New additions to the bar include Doom Bar and Doom Bar Zero by the bottle, a variety of gins, plus we have a wide selection of wines from single serve to premium 70cl bottles.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and look forward to seeing you at one or more of our upcoming events!

Christmas Raffle Draw And Live Music – Sunday 22nd December

Christmas Eve Live Music With Trio G-Wizz – Tuesday 24th December

New Year’s Eve Disco – Tuesday 31st December

Abba Stars UK filled the live music slot in October, and filled the venue at the sell-out all-ticket event.

The last Saturday of each month usually features live music from local bands and are free to attend for both members and non-members. The latest event was anticipated to have a large turnout and so a limited number of tickets were made available to help cover the costs and to ensure the capacity was not exceeded. Tribute bands are all the rage and with Abba being one of the biggest and most popular across all age groups, it was no surprise that Abba Stars played to a capacity crowd.

Tony’s Discotheque provided the equipment and expertise, and kept the hits (officially golden oldie’s now) flowing right to the end, accompanied by lighting effects irresistible to those of us who only need a couple of drinks to show off the dance moves we used to regret the morning after.

For anyone who married in the 80’s it is an ideal theme for an anniversary, and so this event was a fitting backdrop for Martin and Maureen Court’s 34th Wedding Anniversary party.

We are certain there are many other members who married in the 80’s, so we look forward to more boogie nights in the near future. With so many great tunes and an iPad based karaoke catalogue at their disposal, no two nights will ever be the same!

CONTACT US to enquire about suitable dates.

The club laid on a buffet of sandwiches, rolls, marinated chicken skewers, spring rolls and dips, along with a commemorative cake.  A helium balloon and specially printed drape formed the backdrop for photo opportunities to commemorate the occasion.

Live music from soloist Bryan Just got everyone including Jim on their feet throughout the evening, with iconic songs covering many of the eras Jim has been privileged to be a part of, whilst we were all very privileged to be in his company for such a special event.

Jim had his birthday officially recognised by the Queen with a traditional telegram in its modern form.  He is looking forward to the next one which will be on his 105th birthday.

Jim’s working career began at the start of World War 2 as an aero engineer and he later worked for Jardines, a British conglomerate, before taking on the Station Master role at Shanghai airport.

1949 was an eventful year when Jim was called into action during the Yangtse River Incident involving HMS Amethyst which ran aground on Rose Island under fire from the People’s Liberation Army. Warships had been operating lawfully in Shanghai and Nanking during the civil unrest, to enable the evacuation of British Nationals in the event of a breakdown in law and order due to the hostilities.

Stranded, and unable to be assisted by nearby HMS Consort and HMS Black Swan due to continued attacks, a Sunderland flying boat was flown from Shanghai airport with a naval officer and RAF doctor on board, and successfully reached the Amethyst. The Sunderland made many attempts to deliver supplies and evacuate injured crew members, often returning damaged, and it was Jim’s job to keep it airworthy and operational.

Many mentions of the vital role the Sunderland played in the incident appear in the official report from The House Of Lords and Lieutenant-Commander Kerans, including the following which can be read in full at www.naval-history.net

“That afternoon a naval and a Royal Air Force doctor, with medical supplies and charts, were flown by a Sunderland aircraft of the Royal Air Force to the “Amethyst.” Both the aircraft and the “Amethyst” were fired upon. The ship was hit, but the Sunderland managed to transfer the R.A.F. doctor and some medical supplies before being forced to take off. The “Amethyst” then took shelter in a creek.”

“Another courageous effort to reach “Amethyst” was made by the R.A.F. in a Sunderland on the afternoon of the 22, but the aircraft was driven off by artillery fire without succeeding in making contact. The “Amethyst” then moved a further four miles up river. She was in close touch with the Flag Officer, and after a number of courses had been considered, it was decided that she should remain where she was”

More images can be found at www.maritimequest.com

Jim also served time as a Station Master at Nassau, New York and Barbados. When he returned to British soil he worked for BOAC and then British Airways during the introduction of the first Boeing 747’s and the magnificent Concorde.

Club Secretary Howard Holt was on duty to ensure everyone got a good grilling, with quality beef and pork joints expertly carved and served to the queues of eager members and their guests.

Quite Frankly The Best Sinatra

Live music was provided by professional Frank Sinatra tribute act So Sinatra, performed by Paul Holgate who has honed his craft in recent years to become widely regarded as the best in the business.

Not just a great singer with a delivery that is a worthy tribute to the great man himself, but a polished performer who stays in character throughout with added humour and Rat-Pack-era references to keep those with more than a passing appreciation happy.  The encore was almost a third set by the time Mr Sinatra was allowed to bring down the final curtain on a memorable afternoon.

For more information on So Sinatra! visit the website at www.sosinatra.com.

For future Club events please see our EVENTS page.

If you were expecting classical tracks then you were in the wrong place as the band rocked the night away with covers chosen from a broad repertoire spanning more than three decades.

Check out our EVENTS page for announcements of future dates and acts.