Summerland - 50 Years On

Today (2 August) marks fifty years since the devastating fire at the Summerland leisure centre on Douglas promenade, during which 50 people died and around 80 were injured. In recent weeks we've heard the detailed stories from survivors and victims' families.  In this edition, Lewis Foster speaks to Jackie Hallam from Huddersfield who was just 12 when she escaped the Summerland fire w...

In the final part of a special series reflecting back on "Summerland - 50 Years on", looking at how tourism led to the building and development of the complex and also reflecting on the night of the fire that brought a distressing end to it, John Moss asks 'where is Manx tourism going?' as the current Government looks to attract half a million visitors annually to the Island.

50 years ago, on August 2nd 1973, a fire at the Summerland Complex in Douglas claimed 50 lives. This is the second in a special series presented by John Moss, with this programme reflecting on the night of the tragedy itself. *This programme contains material that some may find distressing*

In the autumn of 1968 construction started on a huge holiday complex on the Derby Castle site at the north end of Douglas Promenade, and was to be called Summerland. But why did the normally conservative Island authorities throw their weight behind such an expensive tourism facility? How did the beaches of Benidorm and the Costa Blanca set the Island on a path that was to end tragically on the nig...

Compilation of reports and interviews. Includes News report morning after (Peter Kneale), with Chief Constable Statement, Alan Jackson on site report , Announcements, brief statement from Mayor of Douglas, On site report the morning after, as well as additional features (possibly from BBC) including interviews with one of the architects, a representative from the manufacturers of the roofing mater...

More of Alan Jackson’s live report – PLEASE NOTE: audio ends suddenly, mid-phrase.

Manx Radio Broadcast, 3/8/1973 – Chief Constable Frank Weedon’s statement, Alan Jackson’s live report

Mary Clague – sister at Nobles, discussing her memories of treating people injured in the fire.

Henry Callow – discussing the identification of bodies, the inquests, and the formal inquiry.

Ken Harding – worked at Summerland, discussing his role in trying to fight the fire, evacuating people from the building, and structural issues that made the fire as bad as it was (NOTE: audio drops out part way through – continues later in the conversation)

In late September 2006 - 33 years after the fire - Bishop Graeme Knowles (at that time the Lord Bishop of Sodor and Man) organised a memorial service on the Summerland site, to mark the demolition of the second Summerland building, and some vestigial remains of the original building …… This audio file is that service, and is included really because it includes a roll call of those wh...

0’00” – 1’45” Chief Const. Frank Weedon, 1’45” – 1’58” News reader’s link, 1’59” – end Alan Jackson reports from the scene.

Roger Payne - Police officer on duty, recalling his role in the events on the night, and in helping identify the bodies

The National Service of Remembrance for the 50th Anniversary of the Summerland Tragedy. The service was held at St George's Church, Douglas on Sunday 30th July 2023.

50 Years on from the disastrous fire, John Moss explores Summerland; The Full Story in a special three part series.