High hopes for new year in clubland

The pessimists out there can only surmise that more of the same is the answer to the speculation.

However some now claim that, despite the cheap supermarket tins and all the other obstacles in the way of wet sales in clubs, that surely things have bottomed out and more of the right kind of people are coming to help run our clubs.

A much publicised introduction of a minimum price for each unit of alcohol is being piloted this year in some parts of Scotland and this could be a real boon for those who would like to see people coming out and socialising once again in our community social clubs. As ever let’s hope for the best.

Entertainment wise we start the year well with a visit to Alverthorpe wmc for Wilson Ellis and Co.

This may sound like a team of solicitors, but it is in fact a great pop band with a tip-top girl singer.

Saturday is the night to see this great live band attraction and hopefully the club will be full of post-new year revellers.

One of my favourite duos out there right now is Deviance. This boy-girl act features a superb female singer/dancer who also performs solo as a tribute to Pink.

Girnhill Lane Club in Featherstone are due for a visit from this superb act this weekend on Saturday night, don’t miss them!

That smashing nostalgia singer Damion is always worth a look, and The New Brookhouse Club in Wakefield is set to welcome him this weekend for a Saturday night show.

In short, a lovely fellow and a great entertainer.

I was meant to appear at Crigglestone WMC this weekend, in my capacity as an entertainer, but I won’t be there due to illness, which I am extremely sorry about.

This great club does have some superb attractions coming up this month.

Among them are local favourites The Scratch Band, the superb singer Ricky Graham and the multi-tribute/impressions act Carry On Cabaret, who pop up on stage at Crigg this weekend for a Saturday night visit.

On a personal note, I would like to say a great big thank you to my Express colleague Dean Mellor. Dean kindly finished the column that I only managed to make a start on last week.

For the first time in almost 25 years as a columnist I did not file the column in time due to illness.

I spent ten days around Christmas in the acute respiratory care unit at Pinderfields Hospital suffering from pneumonia.

I am now at home and, as you can read, back to writing work again.

I would like to thank all my clubland pals who have written, phoned or visited me and I hope to be out and about again soon.

The doctors and nurses at Pinderfields were so wonderful and nurses Amanda, Felicia, Anne, Louisa, Cosille and Laura made the whole dreadful business a lot more bearable.

If you have any news or views for this column we would like to hear from you.

Just drop me a line at the Express, email [email protected] or call my office number on 01924 890800 and leave a message.