Palace Lido – Julie Killip in 2015

I was born in Douglas in 1958, I remember the Palace Ballroom when my mother, Rita, would take me to watch ballroom dancing competitions there during the 1960s.

During the years between 1973 and 1975, I watched several bands, The Sweet, Slade, Showaddywaddy, Cozy Powell, Mud, Mott the Hoople, Alvin Stardust and the Rubettes just to name a few. 

Then I went back to the Lido, as it was now commonly known during the late 1980s and it was my favourite dance spot. I loved the atmosphere, but I didn’t go there to drink, money was short, so my friend and I would spend nearly all night on the dance floor. Occasionally ‘minesweeping’ (which is pinching peoples drinks).

The Lido popularity declined to a change in music, it became very repetitive and people just stopped going.

Sadly it was knocked down in 1994 and I believe it was such a waste of what was once a very beautiful building.