Taking up the new craze of Glider Skating down at the Gliderdrome on Barlow Moor Road in 1939

I wonder if there is anyone who was in the former Chorlton Palais on Barlow Moor Road in 1939 and joined the fun that was Glider Skating.

The dance hall had been renamed the Manchester Gliderdrome and the event was billed as 'the modern ballroom craze that is sweeping Europe"

For those keen enough to roll up there were "free skates and tuition" with sessions which lasted all day into the evening and for anyone who wanted just to watch Spectators were charged 6d to “See the Happy ‘Gliding’ Fans.”

Now with some research it should be possible to track down how long the craze lasted.

So the search is on to find anyone who was there.

In the meantime it adds a bit more to the story of the Chorlton Palais which went on to become a string of nightclubs before finally closing to make way for a fast food outlet.

It had opened in the 1920s as the Chorlton Palais de Dance.

My friend Ida remembers it from the mid 1960s when "it was always busy" and Adge  told me that "we went to the Princess Club ('the Prinny') on a regular basis in the late 60'/early 70's, it was always rocking! 

Saw some great acts there inc' Ben E King Emile Ford and Long John Baldry amongst others. 

It was always packed to the rafters and, at the end of the night, the last song was always "Hi Ho Silver Lining", everyone in the place joined in (all well lubricated) I can see and hear it now in my head. It was also the place I had my first dance and snog with my (now) wife."*

And years later I was there when it had morphed into  Valentines and later Ra Ra’s

Picture; Gliderskating, Manchester Evening News, 1939 courtesy of Sally Dervan
Princess Ballroom, R.E.Stanley, May 1959, m17616, courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council, http://images.manchester.gov.uk/index.php?session=pass


*When you could see Tom Jones, Ben-E-King, and Dell Shannon in the Princess on Barlow Moor Road, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/when-you-could-see-tom-jones-ben-e-king.html