History of the Ambassador - Part Three
The Bingo Years, 1965 - 1995
Bingo's popularity swept the UK during the early 1960s, thanks in part to the dedicated efforts of individuals like Eric Morley, who served as the General Manager of Mecca.
Affectionately dubbed 'Mr. Bingo' by the British press, Morley's introduction of bingo to various Mecca venues across the nation was met with great enthusiasm. This transition elevated Mecca from a relatively small dancing and catering enterprise to a major player in the leisure and entertainment industry.
Dave Carey's Bingo Bingo (I'm in Love) recorded in 1961
In the wake of Mecca's success, other companies like Rank, ABC, Essoldo and even the G.B. Snape Cinemas swiftly followed suit, broadening their entertainment offerings to include bingo.
There was increased competition for people's leisure-time and disposable income, the decline in the habit of going to the cinema two or three times a week, audiences became more selective in their film choices, cinema incomes declined.
The Ambassador's foray into the Bingo world was introduced on Sundays in 1961 this helped supplement dwindling profits from cinema exhibition. Ultimately this wasn't enough to make the Ambassador profitable again and so the Cinema was sold to Mecca Leisure in January 1965 by issue of 32,000 Ordinary shares (£32,000 assuming £1 shares).
Violet Carson Opens the new Ambassador Mecca Casino
Newly opened Ambassador Bingo
and Mecca Casino 1965
It was rather fitting that Violet Carson, a TV soap star in her role as Ena Sharples in Coronation Street, also an accomplished pianist, and singer, was invited to inaugurate the refurbished Ambassador as The Ambassador Mecca Casino and Bingo Hall in April 1965.
This choice held special significance because a young Violet had performed in the Ambassador Symphony Orchestra on the opening night of the New Ambassador Super Cinema on Christmas Eve in 1928.
Violet maintained a lengthy and deep connection with the Ambassador, gracing both the orchestra and the stage with her presence. During the 1930s, her live performances were advertised as the "Personal Appearance of Violet Carson, The North's Star." She built a successful career as a singer and entertainer on BBC Radio in Manchester, where she showcased a diverse repertoire, ranging from comic musical hall-style songs to light operatic arias.
Her journey commenced with a show called "Songs at the Piano," and she became a regular member of "Children's Hour" on the BBC Home Service. Carson also took the lead in "Nursery Sing Song" from Manchester, frequently collaborating with the producer Trevor Hill, who happened to be many years her junior.
In 1960, she was cast as the sharp-tongued widow and caretaker of the Glad Tidings Mission Hall, Ena Sharples, in Granada TV's twice-weekly soap opera "Coronation Street," making her a nationwide star.
Bingo Bingo Bingo
The new Bingo Hall and Casino was a measurable success and continued to draw crowds over the years with its mix of big prizes and social club atmosphere. The restaurant/ function room was still used for hiring out in the intervening period much like before.
Not long after opening, a fortunate Mrs. O'Neil won £900 and 4shillings in prize money at the Ambassador. Assuming this occurred around 1965/6, then £900 would be equivalent to £20,675.91 today. This was a considerable sum of money given that the average working wage was about £20 per week for men and half that for women.
Mecca arranged for actor Bernard Youens, best known for his role as Stan Ogden, the workshy husband of Coronation Street's Hilda Ogden, to present her with a cheque for her winnings.
Of its time, this 1970 advert for Bingo hall staff in the Manchester Evening News - Wednesday 13 May 1970 wouldn't get printed today -
"MECCA LTD Salford Ambassador, req for evening work 4 or 5 nights per week 2 smart attractive young ladies aged 20 /25. Apply in person or tel Manager at 736 1602"
From Bingo Balls to Digital
The introduction of Bingo blowers during the 1960s served a dual purpose: to speed up gameplay and to ensure fairness. A few instances of bingo callers colluding with patrons to manipulate results had emerged in some clubs.
To counter such issues, the new machines compelled the caller to sit at a transparent container, utilizing air pressure to shuffle the balls. Subsequently, a "lifter" would propel the ball through a tube, and its number would be prominently displayed on a large board.
During the late 1970s, Mecca made the decision to part ways with the traditional bingo machine and its physical balls in their clubs, opting for a more modern technology. Instead of the bingo caller manually drawing balls, they were provided with a monitor on the stage to generate and display the numbers. Additionally, to ensure that all customers could keep track, TV monitors were strategically placed around the hall, showing the called numbers.
By the late 1970s, the hall was showing signs of wear and tear, both inside and outside. Consequently, by the end of the decade, Mecca decided to give it a facelift, involving redecoration and some alterations to the layout.
No significant internal structural changes were made during this renovation. However, the external appearance of the building saw a few modifications. The silhouette lettering spelling out "Ambassador" on the roof was removed, along with the "Mecca Casino" lettering that had adorned the top of the canopy.
Five curved awnings were added to the front of the canopy, and two illuminated poster frames were installed on either side of the main entrance recess.
1980s-90s - Bingo Loses its Charm
Embracing the festive season with a tropical flair, two staff members dressed for a Hawaiian Christmas theme posed in front of the Prize Bingo Shop.
In the latter stages of the 1980s, the converted cinemas like the Ambassador were starting to reveal signs of aging and had become increasingly costly to upkeep. In an effort to reduce expenses and gain additional floor space, operators began constructing purpose-built venues in out-of-town locations.
As the 1980s ended, the traditional bingo industry experienced a steep decline from which it struggled to recover. Up and down the country halls began to close due a combination of costs and falling attendance rates due to the perception that bingo was a game for old people.
Mecca Bingo staff standing outside the Ambassador in 1992, before Rank made their 'additions' to the building.
In 1992 the new owners of the Mecca brand, the Rank Group Plc. took one last roll of the dice to keep the Ambassador as a profitable hall, having submitted plans to Salford City Council.
They spent thousands of pounds on the modernisation of the Ambassador by installing mezzanine platforms and stairways in the auditorium joining the stage to the balcony and the Stalls area. In addition, they installed a cafe under the stage accessed via a staircase utilising the old Cinema Organ pit that had previously been boarded over.
They also added a secondary foyer in front of the recessed entrance giving the old foyer over to slot machines and a member's desk.
Although these changes and installations were clearly reversible and didn't damage the main features and decorative plasterwork, these would be what the disingenuous 'report' by English Heritage would use to have the listing status removed.
The condition of the Ambassador when the Ambassador Project obtained a site visit in April 2001, as can be seen in the 'Gallery Section', bares out their contention that the delisting was obtained by lies and distortion of the facts.
1995 - Closure, The Last House
Several factors contributed to Mecca's decision to close the Ambassador. Firstly, bingo had developed an image problem, with the average club member's age in the 1990s being 62, further solidifying the perception of the game as an activity for pensioners. Moreover, the introduction of the National Lottery in 1994 had a significant impact. In contrast to bingo, the lottery offered the opportunity to play for substantial prizes at a relatively low cost.
However, on the 9th of July 1993, a new, modern purpose-built bingo hall and social club, operated by rivals Gala Bingo, opened less than a mile away on Hankison Way. Situated right next to Salford Shopping City (commonly known as the Precinct among Salford residents) it guaranteed significant custom.
This was the fatal blow to the Ambassador's fortunes and in 1995 the last house was called, thus ending 67 years of entertainment and service to the community of Pendleton.
THE END....
well not quite, click below for the story of "The Ambassador Project" a tale of passion dedication and ultimate betrayal.
Create Your Own Website With Webador