BEFORE Leigh Casino joins the legendary Wigan Casino in the annals of history, nostalgic fans have recalled memories of the top nightspot.

Former Beat Boy Ronnie Carr recaptured the heady atmosphere of the days from 1954 when the ballroom was owned by Joe and Winnie Brierley, but it is the pre-Cas days of the old Theatre Royal that have captured the imagination.

A request for planning permission before the council to demolish the Victorian building and replace it with modern apartments has prompted many thoughts of the days when entertainment was much simpler than today.

For those growing up in the Sixties the Silk Street club will be best remembered for when The Beatles hit the stage as part of the Helen Shapiro Tour show on Monday, February 25, 1963. Many of the tops groups and comedians of the time graced the Casino stage, but the days of the Johnny Prior Band, ballroom dancing, dinners and guest appearances have also brought back happy times of yesteryear.

Early in 1962 four early stars from the Coronation Street cast received a great ovation at a Leigh Master Butchers' Dinner Dance. Pat Phoenix (Elsie Tanner), Peter Adamson (Len Fairclough), Betty Alberge (Florrie Lindley) and Margot Bryant (Minnie Caldwell) mingled with the guests.

Tom Sutton looks back on the wonderful days of the Theatre Royal when as children they would go to the side exits, wait for the music to start and try peering through a hole in the door before being chased off by the commissionaire.

He recalls seeing Frank Randle, Max Bygraves, and the Paragon Players with Arthur Leslie (Corrie's Jack Walker) and going back further The Mauvies and the circus with elephants which were kept in the railway arches at night.

There was a bare back riding act and children were invited onto the stage to try their luck and others were asked to sing. Tom has visions of Brenda Hall, daughter of the Leigh Miners secretary, Edwin Hall, singing Alice Blue Gown and receiving a consolation prize.

John Corbett, of Butts Street, Leigh, was a little lad when every Monday night he bagged a front row seat to watch the variety acts and Dr Roberts sat in the bottom ash tray , a box on the left of the stage.

Once when the audience found out that comedian Frank Randle was back stage they shouted for him to come out and he performed his comedy act. Another time he says top of the bill Max Bygraves called the audience a miserable lot and walked off.

Local comedians Joe Magee and Ken Platt always attracted good crowds and there were always lots of stage door Johnnies waiting to meet the stars.

Teacher and amateur actor and playwright Arnold Helsby won a role in a play performed by a travelling Shakespeare company and took his Manchester Road class along to guess which part he had - that of a non-speaking centurion.

He also recalls twice seeing an American cowgirl do a whip and rope act and who was in fact arrested by the military police. She turned out to be an American airman who had gone AWOL from Burtonwood Air Base.

John says: "The Casino should be made a listed building to save our heritage."

Mrs R Sourbutts, of Chester Street, Leigh, says she too would be sad to see the building demolished as she was a neighbour in Bond Street for many years and has many happy recollections.

Mrs D Dyson, who now lives in Torquay, says the Theatre then the Casino carry many good memories for her too. As a child and pupil of the Audrey Ormesher Dancing School based in The Avenue she appeared in several pantos at the theatre which was always packed to capacity.

As a teenager Monday and Saturday nights were the highlight of the week.

She said: "It would be a pity to see the building go. The demolition of Pennington Hall was the beginning of the downfall of Leigh's heritage together with the re-siting of the market and the closing down of many cinemas.

She adds: "Leigh still has a lot to offer and we always enjoy revisiting. However, it is important to moved forward without destroying the past."