Contribution night 1 - Playhouse (aka Social Club) gutted - this post back to the top for the memories contributed

Pictures will enlarge, thanks to the regular Gurnite reader that sent these pictures in.

UPDATE: Back to the top for the following memories contributed:

"memories memories memories..
Remember the ashtrays on the back of every seat, I can smell it now if I think about it, not bad for a non smoker.
Remember the little kiosk where they took the money, and the lady with the ice cream tray at halftime. Also the usher who wore a green suit with gold braid epaulettes,he showed you to your seat then 10 minutes later he would throw you out for mis- behaving, but he would still give us posters from the outside adverising window,wish I had kept them they would be worth a bob or two today.
The boys spent more time crawling about under the seats on a Saturday afternoon than they did watching the film.I don't think they ever knew what happened to "Flash Gordon"
Do you know which decade I mean?
When you went out of your house with a shilling- sixpence to get in and the other sixpence for a bag of butterkist and an ice cream
You could leave your house at 12 noon and your parents didn't look for you till about 6.
Along time ago but only yesterday really."

"Happy memories of The Playhouse Cinema, if you were flush & had a date went to the balcony with your girl & treated her to butterkist toffee flavour popcorn & the temptation to have a fondle in the dark, some of us lads were lucky & never got our faces slapped, after the film when the lights went on you could spot those who had no luck with a wee feel as one side of their faces were always bright red.

Other lads sat down the front with cricked necks looking up at the big screen, & woe betide if the film suddenly stopped all you would hear is the stomping of feet until the film started again, & you would dread if there was any love scenes as the leading man & lady fondly kissed as you knew one of the front seat lads would let off a rasper of a fart, with the usher frantically searching with her torch to find the culprit who would be grabbed by the lug & thrown out.

Thing seemed so innocent in your youth as you could not wait till Saturday to find out what happened in the next instalment of Flash Gordon.

Hell I've got a tear in my eye. "

"I remember it well.Left hand side, back row last two seats at the end.
Friday and Saturday nights.It didn't matter what was showing.Who wanted to watch a love story anyway.Nothing like being hands on,so they say.Just trying to remember who the other regulars were in the next seats.
I know they made a hell of a noise anyway.The Ice Cream Mivvies before the trailers,used to cool everyone down a bit.Once the lights went on at the finish you couldn't see a thing.Everyone had the same look on their faces,as much as to say "it wisnae us.Happy Days!
The Regal had real luxury,double seats in the back row.Better not go there! I think the wife is watching.?"

UPDATE: more memories still coming in - scroll down the comments for the latest

The Old Playhouse Cinema in Church Street

This building has been known more recently as the Social Club. Jason Rose of Cinema Nairn has been inside to record for posterity what remains of the former cinema. The building will soon be renovated completely and given a new lease of life as a Sports Bar.

Former Social Club - work to start in the new year

So reports the Inverness Courier. Peter Moore was given his Drinks Licence for the premises on Tuesday at the Highland Licensing board. The work is expected to take around six months according to the paper.

Former Social Club - Licence application now in

An appliction for a Provisional Premises Licence has been received by the Highland Licensing Board in respect of the old Nairn County Social club and will be considered on the 30th of November.

River Community Council to support Sports Bar (but with major reservations over the upstairs smoking area)

4-1 they agreed to support the planning application to convert the old NCFC social club into a sports bar. Strong concerns were expressed about the potential for noise from the part of the building (upstairs) that will have the roof removed and become an ‘external’ smoking area. There were worries expressed both from councillors and members of the public that still burning fag-ends, bottles and other objects (maybe the odd human being or two?) could be thrown from such an area. A representative from the architect’s was present and this observer thought he performed very well on some questions and poorly on others. It was a lively session and another example of democracy in action in our community, it was a shame a few more of those both for and against didn’t make the effort to turn up. The application has also been advertised in the Nairnshire this week and no doubt a full report of the River CC debate will appear in that august journal next Monday night/Tuesday morning. One nearby resident said, ‘I don’t care what goes in that building, they can put a brothel there if they like, it is the noise from the smoking area that bothers me!’

Sports Bar application – now the letters of support

First there were the objections and now the trickle of letters of support has become a steady stream. It is fascinating to read these letters as their authors often diverge into other things that folk think are wrong with Nairn at the moment.

Just as with the objectors’ letters however, it remains to be seen what will be seen as ‘material considerations’ by the planners. One thing is certain, there can be no denying that part of this process can turn into a numbers game and this may focus the mind of elected representatives as we move closer to the next elections.

You can read all the correspondence here by clicking on the documents tab. Tomorrow night (Tuesday) the matter will be discussed at the River Community Council planning meeting in the Laing Hall. When there’s nothing good on the telly River CC can be an highly entertaining evening out. Perhaps tomorrow evening the attendance might be a little higher than normal?

Objections to Social Club change of use stacking up

More objections to the proposed change of use of the former NCFC social club to a sports bar have been published on the Highland Council site. You can read them here (don't click on the comments tab - click on Documents and scroll down to read the public comments).

County Social Club to be Sports Bar?

Remember the night club application that failed and then went to appeal to be refused by the Scottish Government's reporter? Well another application is in for the Nairn County Social Club and once again the applicant is a Mr P Moore, this time with a proposal for a Sports Bar. You can see the drawings here and the application details here. The previous application for a night club is here.

Nightclub proposal - reasons for refusal

The reasons the Scottish Government's reporter gives for refusing the Social Club night club appeal are now available on line. Whilst feeling that noise from within the club can be controlled he was very concerned about potential, noise and disturbance outside, including the possibility of groups of people smoking outside:

Here's some of the reporter's reasoning:

'3. Church Street leads to a relatively small residential district of the town. Most arrival and departure would take place from the town centre where it would appear informal taxi facilities and other eating and leisure facilities exist. It is clear however, that use of Church Street does occur in the other direction, through the residential district, and that this is presently a cause of late night disturbance. Whilst this is to a degree inevitable in close proximity to the town centre, this does not currently extend to 03:00 hours. The proposed nightclub would be likely to lead to increased noise from talking or shouting, starting or turning vehicles in Church Street throughout the night on Friday/Saturday and Saturday/Sunday nights. This would be harmful to the living conditions which residents could expect.
4. It is possible that, in the absence of an outdoor smoking area, customers will tend to congregate in the street. This continues to be a common occurrence with pubs and other licensed premises. It is to be expected in a town centre location. I note the concern of the EHO regarding this potential for noise outwith the building. I remain unconvinced that the appellant’s proposed measure of not permitting re-entry to the premises would be workable. Although the entrance to Church Street is located away from residential areas any noise from numbers of people standing and talking in the street would be likely to carry to nearby residents during the night time hours resulting in harmful disturbance.
5. The police have reported the occurrence of 29 instances of antisocial behaviour in Church Street over the last year. The majority of these were in the early hours of the morning. They further note that management would find it difficult to control customers after leaving their premises. Although this level of reported disturbance is relatively low the Northern Constabulary accept that in all probability it would increase as a result of the proposed nightclub. With arrivals and departures extending well into the night, till 03:00 hours the potential for increased disturbance to the nearby residents is considerable.'

There's more on this DPEA page that shows the full decision.

The Gurn feels that there is obviously a need for a night club in Nairn, it is a pity that a less controversial site wasn't chosen. This Facebook group 'Nairn needs a Nightclub' has 219 members and proves that need.

Nightclub application - appeal refused!

The DPEA reporter has turned down the appeal. Plans for a night club were initially turned down by Highland Council now the subsequent appeal has had the knock back too.

Church Street Night Club appeal

News that will not be universally popular in Nairn. The Gurn hears from a Church Street resident that the controversial night club proposal is to be appealed by the applicant. Gurnites will remember that many town centre folk were concerned with the 350 head proposal and the desire for a licence to 3.a.m in the morning. Details of the refusal available here on this previous Gurn article. The article contained several comments that detailed arguments from both sides.

Nightclub proposal for Social Club fails - Inverness Provost Jimmy Gray moved for the motion however!

In a move that will not only be welcomed by Church Street residents but by many others that live in the town centre the controversial proposal for a night club in the old Wee County Social Club fell at the Inverness and Nairn area planning committee this afternoon. It is indeed interesting and significant that Jimmy Gray tried so hard to poke is nose into Nairn affairs. Mr Gray we can decide for ourselves what we want or don't want in Nairn! We've got a Provost ourselves stick to big city affairs thank you!

We have a report from a Church Street resident and a suggestion:

'For info the nightclub proposal was dismissed at the committee today by 7 votes to 4.
Councillors Marsden and Fraser spoke up for local residents, pointing out how disruptive the club would be. Councillors Park and Macdonald seemed to be in favour but were looking to reduce the opening hours from 3am to 1am and headcount from 350 to 150.
Interestingly the unsuccessful proposal to approve planning was moved by Inverness provost Jimmy Gray who said there had been only a small number of objections and Merkinch councillor Donnie Kerr backed him saying Inverness has lots of nightclubs and they aren't a problem.
The decision is a good result for our great wee residential community and councillors Marsden and Fraser are to be thanked for their common sense.
Will the applicant try again? Here's a brave idea Nairnites: why don't we turn the building back into a cinema? It used to be the Playhouse in the 60s. Nairnites love their films, if Tilda's two festivals are anything to go by...
Jason Rose
Church Street'

Wrong place for night club

Hi Gurn,

It might interest you and your readers that the proposal for a 350 person nightclub in the old Nairn County Social Club in Church Street is recommended for approval at Tuesday's Highland Council planning committee meeting in Inverness.

I only discovered this when I bumped into a photographer from the P&J in Church Street this morning.

The papers are available on the council website.

I'm sure Nairn would love a nightspot but Church Street is precisely the wrong place.

Jason Rose.

Not the ideal place is it Jason? It will be interesting to see if our four councillors back the residents of Church Street that oppose this application. In an ideal world where people were quieter on their way home and law and order issues could be guaranteed then it might have been a good idea. No matter how well sound-proofed the interior is the problem is what noise might the clientele make on their way home?

Clubbing in Nairn until 3 a.m. could become a reality

That's the ultimate aim of those who want to transform the former Nairn County Social Club into a nightclub. A presentation was given this evening to the River Community Council in the Laing Hall.

If all goes well with the planning permission they plan to take the building on a five-year lease from the football club. There are extensive plans to transform the building into a state of the art club catering for up to 480 people although it is envisaged that capacity will be restricted to 300. £180,000 will be spent on the interior of the former cinema. Up to 10 jobs could be created by the nightclub project.
The club would open two nights from 9.00 pm to 3.00 am should the licensing authority grant those hours.

Near neighbours were worried about noise and disruption from the club but were assured that adequate sound proofing would be used. Others too had concerns about the noise people leaving the club might make in the early hous but it was suggested that overall there could even be a reduction in the noise made in the town centre if people were inside a club instead of hanging around on the High Street after the pubs shut. Midnight was the curfew hour, once in you would have to stay there.

It was indeed interesting how much of the discussion centered around policing matters rather than the minutiae of how the club will be operated and no doubt it will be the police who will have a large say in what opening hours are eventually granted.

The presentation attracted one or two more than usual for a River Community Council meeting, perhaps the wet evening kept a few others at home as one might have thought this project would have attracted a few more folk wishing to make representations. It's now up to the planning and licensing authorities.

Another former cinema has problems

A regular reader of the Gurn called the former Regal building the 'Cinema of Nightmares', a joke inspired no doubt by the Ballerina Ballroom cinema of Dreams festival that is coming soon to the top of the brae. Now another former Nairn cinema is making the news, the Nairn County Social Club (click picture to enlarge) will close its doors from the end of the month. The chairman of the club is quoted in the Nairnshire, ' Members are just not using the club, but it is probably a sign of the times with all the pubs finding it difficult.'

Incidentally you can now book tickets for the Ballerina Cinema of Dreams on Tilda Swinton's festival website. Sales it seems are going well for the two weekends with bookings being made from many overseas locations, you'd better hurry if you want advance tickets but there will be some available each night on a first come first served basis.