PAGE 20 • FESTIVE NEWS • DECEMBER 2018
WAS STRICTLY FOR DANCING
In its hey-day, Park Hall, Wormelow was strictly
for dancing. For older readers of Festive News it
was a hotbed of youthful romance – the more
gentile period when couples danced to orchestras
before noisy pop groups in night clubs in town
took over.
From the early 60’s to the mid 80’s Park Hall’s
dance floor was alive to the sound of music from
the greatest dance orchestras of the day: Joe Loss,
Syd Lawrence and Victor Sylvester and not
forgetting the resident music makers, Russ Allen
and his Band and the Dave Stewart band.
But the tide began to turn and the new
generation began to forsake the sedate style of
ballroom dancing for the more wild format of
disco dancing – and not necessarily as boy/girl
couples!!
The Russ Allen band
died in 1978. His daughter Merle took over. But times were changing and a
new generation were captivated by disco night clubs opening up in the
nearby city. Peace and quiet returned to Wormelow.
Des McGuire opened The Crystal Rooms in Bridge Street catering for the
pop group era. Next on the scene was a nightclub converted out of the stalls
in the cinema in Commercial Road. With them came trouble, fighting in the
streets. Hereford went through another more recent change of mood. Both
closed down.
The current young generation will never experience the tenderness of
dancing cheek to cheek in a warm embrace to the haunting music of a slow
waltz. But their grandparents can tell them all about social life in the slow
lane when Park Hall Wormelow was the epicentre of their Saturday night
out.
!
Top: The original ‘chicken shed’; Amos Peel
and his wife and Park Hall in its hey day.
In its twilight years the once popular venue was
owned by fairground owner Henry Danter who
had plans to turn it into light industry. Late one
summer’s night in 2004 a mystery fire engulfed
the empty building. All that remains today is a pile
of rumble. A real travesty for a building which
brought so much joy to so many. And there is
nothing in the village to remind future generations
of its creator – Amos Peel – a Yorkshire man who
turned up in Wormelow soon after the end of
World War 2 to run a farm. His idea for a dance
hall grew out of a large redundant chicken shed –
and eventually attracted busloads of dancers from
Birmingham to Bristol. The ballroom dance floor
had room for 800. It was at its peak when Amos
SABATO
A very Happy Christmas to all our customers
Kitchens
INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURAL
DOMESTIC BUILDING MANAGEMENT
MELCON
Over 50 Years Experience Within The Industry
UNISEX HAIR SALON
For a cut above the rest why not
visit Sabato for all sorts of cuts
Children welcome
Plants - Garden Products - Seeds and Bulbs
Furniture - Gifts - Pets - Aquatrics & Reptiles
Log Cabins - Greenhouses - Nail & Beauty Salon
Energy conservation
Control systems
Portable appliance testing
Security systems, CCTVs
Electrical surveys, reports
Breakdown service
HEREFORD LIMITED
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS
AND CONTRACTORS
Data cabling
Fire alarm installations
Heating installations
Lighting installations
and design
Power installations
at 3a St Peters Square, above Tanners Wines
Tel: 01432 273545
Sabato at ‘Headlines’ No. 15, The Oval, Belmont
Tel: 01432 265260
Melcon Ltd, 55 Vincent Carey Road, Rotherwas, Hereford, HR2 6SE