Hundreds of people gathered round in shock as they watched the iconic Kingsway in Southport burn down 11 years ago.
The former nightclub and casino had proved to be a favourite among locals in the town for generations.
During the 1960s it hosted big name pop stars including The Beatles, Sir Tom Jones and Cilla Black as people came from far and wide to visit.
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But on Monday September 6, 2010, Southport residents were left in shock as over 50 firefighters battled 80ft flames which engulfed the building.
Seven fire engines and two aerial units were called to the site on The Promenade just before 8pm.
They used high pressure hoses to beat back flames sweeping all three floors of the historic nightclub, also known as Bliss and Astoria before it closed its doors for the last time in 2006.
Battling the blaze in a fight that lasted more than 15 hours, fire crews travelled from 17 fire stations around Merseyside in a bid to save the iconic structure.
"The fire made it too dangerous for us to actually go in"
Station manager Ian Crichton said: “I got to the Kingsway within 20 minutes and was there for five hours.
He said: “It was a very well developed fire, involving three floors. It was very well established by the time we arrived.
“Obviously from the extent of damage that we were looking at, surrounding and protecting the nearby public and properties was a priority.”
He added: “We knew that the building was going to collapse due to the extent of the damage.
“It was far too dangerous to actually go in. We used two specialist aerial appliances to keep a safe distance away.
“The attending crews worked very hard and well throughout the fire.”
Send your memories of Kingsway to benjamin.haslam@reachplc.com
Torrential rain did little to dispel the flames, with onlookers hundreds of feet way able to feel the heat.
Despite the dangers many local people even drove into the resort to witness the end of a prominent landmark.
"We saw flames coming out of the window and called the fire brigade"
Mark Wright, bar manager of the nearby Clifton Hotel, said at the time: “We saw flames coming out of one window at about 7.45pm and called the fire brigade.
He said: “A lot of people are watching from our bar and we’re having a pretty busy night.
“People are treating it like an event.”
Fire service watch manager Peter Owens said: “It’s a severe fire by anyone’s standards.
“The building has partially collapsed and there is another building threatened.
“Luckily no-one is hurt but it’s going to be some time before it is declared safe enough for an investigation.”
A spokesman for Merseyside Fire and Rescue said that the blaze was started by “suspected deliberate ignition” but a police investigation was unsuccessful in finding out what happened.
Built in 1931 the Kingsway hosted performances by Cilla Black, Tom Jones, and according to local legend the first performance of The Beatles’ classic line-up.
Ringo Starr is said to have taken over the drums from a sick Pete Best there in the early 60s.
Eyewitness Erhan Yazgan, of Turkish Delight takeaway, said: “Apparently I was the first to see it.
"The building was derelict but I saw kids going in all the time"
“I phoned up 999 at 8.03pm. I came back from delivery and saw a little light coming out of the window, it was really, really small at first.
“From that it spread to the next window.
“The firemen arrived quickly.
“I watched it for about one hour, the smoke was going all around the building, it spread very quickly.”
Erhan added: “The original Kingsway was very good, I had a lot of good nights out there.
“It is a shame.
“Kids played in the building although it was derelict. Last Thursday I parked my car in their car park and at about four o’clock I caught four kids going in. I told them not to because it is dangerous but I saw kids going in there all the time.”
“It is a huge shame the Kingsway building was ever left empty"
Student Hayley Gore said: “I don't think the building was in that bad a condition.
“I think it is a huge shame that it was ever left empty at all and certainly a shame that it is now gone.
“Obviously a new building might bring new tourism. But it is a crying shame.”
Hannah Boydell said: “It is awful, but thank God no-one was hurt.
“It made me sad hearing and reading about it.
“So many Southport people had a lot of memories there and they just had to stand back and watch as they all burnt away.
“Everyone knew the Kingsway building, young and old, and now it is not there I am sure so many local people will feel a bit of sadness each time they drive or walk past where it used to stand.”
“It was the sort of place you could go in and see someone you knew"
Michelle Porter said: “I had the best time of my life spent in there in the 80s.
“I had fab times, from moidering the doormen to let us in for free to the whole layout of the place.
“It was a good old fashioned nightclub.
“I remember the dance floor in the middle with tables and chairs around it, waiting for some guy to ask you for the last dance.
“I remember ‘I Will Survive’ by Gloria Gaynor being played a lot, and Lionel Richie.
“It was the sort of place you could go in alone and see someone you knew.
“The Kingsway was the place to be seen and everyone went.
“I am sad about the fire as I think the place holds so many memories for the people of Southport”
“I have vague memories of dancing the night away in silver platform shoes to Barry White and Chic"
Colette Manning, said: “In the Seventies there weren't many places to go at night in Southport.
“The two main nightclubs were The Dandy and The Kingsway.
“I have vague memories of dancing the night away in silver platform shoes to Barry White and Chic.
“The Kingsway was great because it was spread over different floors with different types of music playing.
“I seem to remember the top floor was the place to boogie, and we always made sure we had a good old boogie!
“It was a favourite haunt for footballers from the likes of Liverpool and Everton FCs, who no doubt had big curly perms and ate chicken in a basket!”
Before the fire, The Kingsway fell into disrepair with several redevelopment plans coming to nothing.
The most recent, a £9m plan to tear down the club and replace it with a four star 98 bedroom hotel, was still in the design stage when the blaze happened.
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