It was all shining, it even smelt new. Its charred steel skeletal remains were demolished in 1975 and then rebuilt on a smaller scale, construction commencing in 1976, with a smaller area of glass than the original, and a highly advanced fire extinguisher and alarm system. Overview. LOCATION From the Sea Terminal proceed the length of the Promenade. Bit by bit over the years things would start to disappear, until by the end there was only "Manxland" left, my son really enjoyed palying there with all his cousins & it was a great place for Mums to meet on a Saturday & have a coffee while the kids played, we did that for a lot of years. We saw the fire take hold and like many others my parents were shocked and crying at the horror of the tragic loss of life. I had the best holidays ever as a kid in IOM , it is a magical place. FREE membership. We actually visited the Summerland on the day of the fire, I can remember the night of the fire, we were staying in a hotel on the opposite end of the prom, I was there with my cousin and our Mum's and Dad's had gone out for the evening. After a couple of hours frozen to the spot I remember seeing my Mum running towards me and picking me up, crying and hugging me as if she hadnt seen me in years or something. The fire killed 50 people, eleven of them under the age of twenty. Summerlands bed and breakfast (B&B) is a charming and unique house in Ramsey, which has recently been refurbished throughout to a very high standard. It is a British Crown dependency (and therefore not part of the United Kingdom itself); the UK is responsible for defence and foreign affairs. My Mum and I started to go towards a spiral staircase which led towards the main entrance but my uncle steered us further along the gallery to where there were fire exits leading to the swimming pool area. The island is in desperate need of some alternative. The survivor and her mother were separated from her father and sister and stuck in the venue before being rescued through a window by firemen. I was one of the worst things that has ever happened on our small Island and none of us will ever forget the event. I would like to see an ice-skating rink there (which the Island needs). The transparent roof was composed of 6 ft acrylic bronze-tinted sheets so that the natural light filtering through would appear like golden rays. 22 Summerland IOM ideas | summerland, isle of man, brutalist architecture I was 5 at the time. janice gale from dreghorn scotlandI was 13 when summerland went on fire i still remember that night clearly my mum and i had told my dad that we were going to summerland while he went to the villa marine to watch wrestling but just before the bus stopped we changed our mind and went to white city we had just got into white city when we were told summerland was on fire we had to walk all the way round onchan to get back to the prom its a scene you will never forget seeing people jumping into the sea to get away from the flames even when we came home on the boat your were reminded again as we had to wait until all the coffins were taken of first as a mark of respect. The building's exterior and the interior were designed by two different architectsthey did not coordinate their planning with each other and thereby created a venue with significant fire risks that were to become apparent only later. I was 17 and with my boyfriend at the time. slide somewhere near where the Hilton Hotel is now I think. Looking at the picture of the pool makes me sad!! Summerland, Isle of Man My dad raised the alarm after I smelt smoke coming from a slot machine. My parents had gone for a drink and I was looking after myself on my own in the safety that was 1973 in the fantastic Isle of Man. slide somewhere near where the Hilton Hotel is now I think. We found them distraught watching the flames as they thought we were in the building. The venue attracted thousands of people to the. people screaming and trying to escape, one boy broke a window with a microphone stand. The plans took years to finalise. PDF Heritage: A look at the Castle Mona Hotel s history The journey from Figure 2 shows where the fire initially started, and it spread quickly over the building faade. I'll never forget the tragedy and the emptiness we felt after that horrific day. The Manx Development Corporation is part of the strategy for realizing economic, social and environmental benefits through enabling full utilization of government owned land and property assets and acting as a catalyst for regeneration and repurposing of urban and brownfield sites. Summerland for me, like many others who grew up on the Island was one of the main places that you could find entertainment of all forms from Rollerskating through to catching a afternoon film in the cinema. We went to a show to see the Black and White Minstrels, that's when I smelt smoke. In 1973, the Summerland Complex suffered a tragic accidental After another few minutes the flames had spread over the top of the building and were beginning to engulf the whole place, it was horrible to see. Summerland. The site was acquired by Douglas Corporation in 1964 and Manx Forums - A Discussion Board & Classifieds for the Isle of Man. My dad played a lot of squash so I was always there watching him, well trying.. it took me years to be tall enough to see over from the spectators gallery properly.Every weekend it would either be rollerskating, swimming or the play area in the day and at night we would come back for the cabaret and more time in the play area.Through the week I would be in Summerland for 5-a-side football and swimming lessons with my school.For years I knew nothing about the fire but was told by my parents at a sensible age, from this moment on I wanted to know what the place looked like as their description made it sound out of this world and it was!I have spent many an hour researching everything Summerland.I have to admit I did feel very sad when I saw this place coming down.A newer more aesthetically pleasing version needs to be built, we need a more resourceful entertainment complex on the Island, everthing under one roof.. like Summerland! We went back when they rebuilt it but it didn't have the same atmosphere & at first people almost seemed to be looking over their shoulders as if they were waiting for something to happen, it was strange. Places - Lost in Time: Summerland Centre, Isle of Man - YouTube Hello, and welcome again to Places - Lost in Time, a series that looks back on the tale of places and locations that have. of 1971. The centre reopened in June 1978. Haunted Isle of Man/THE TRAGIC SUMMERLAND FIRE, ISLE OF MAN The fire was contained in an internal space within the walls until it penetrated the interior, destroying the wiring of the fire alarm system in the process. panels dropping in flames onto the ground and I guess, people below. Dr Ian Phillips' book on the Summerland fire, revised in March 2021, is the most comprehensive account ever written of the disaster. We were in Summerland on the night of the fire, as we had been most evenings. The closure of the . The fire services were not called for over 20 minutes,[5] and even then the call did not originate from Summerland. I used to love walking round the place & everytime it was just as amazing as the first time.Then in my teens & 20's & 30's going to the cave & upstairs for the TT events from TT supporters club meetings,to gigs & tyre balancing. The pool was salt water and it made my eyes sting. The scale of the fire has been compared to those seen during the Blitz. Summerland disaster - Wikipedia 'The inferno was racing towards me': survivors of the Summerland fire There's not much left of the place. This, coupled with the constant sirens of emergency vehicles, is what made this the worst night of my life. I remember seeing balls of fire dropping from the top of the structure this was the so-called inflammable Oraglass (?) There was a lot of excited anticipation before it opened. There was a charming wooden see saw, slide and roundabout. See where they filmed this movie from 2020 starring Gemma Arterton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Lucas Bond. Follow on beyond Summerland and Port Jack. Nicole SmithThe queue to get into the swimming pool with my Mum, Dad & brother and of course the smell. Located in the heart of Douglas, the capital of the Isle of Man, the complex was a landmark of the island, offering a wide range of attractions for both locals and visitors alike. It wasn't until we were on the promenade at a safe distance that I looked back to see the building completely engulfed in flames. There were cafes and bars to relax in when you needed a drink. I think it would be appropriate and (hopefully) not too disrespectful to the people who passed away there. We got out past the swimming pool - as a lady carrying some keys ran towards the doors to unlock them. Find average house prices, current average values, other historic property data & request a valuation from an estate agent. belindaI went to the Isle of Man after the fire and never heard of the fire until recently. Experts into wreckage of building 4. With the building also suffering from concrete cancer, the remainder of the site closed in 2004, and demolition began in January 2006. The 3.5 acre Summerland resort, claiming to be the biggest and most innovative indoor entertainment centre in the world, was hailed by the British Tourist Authority as An outstanding tourist enterprise. This part of the building was clad in a material called Galbestos: profiled steel sheeting with asbestos felt on both sides coated with bitumen,[5][8] with no fire-resistant qualities. I was 9 and on holiday with my Mum, brother and Uncle Peter (Mum's brother), the aim of the holiday being to give Mum a break after my Dad had died following a long illness. The Summerland disaster occurred when a fire spread through the Summerland leisure centre in Douglas on the Isle of Man on the night of 2 August 1973.