The ABC Ardwick doubled as a cinema and as a district office for the ABC Cinemas group. Dougie Revis was the charming, sensitive, avuncular District Manager until 1969 when he was replaced by Jimmy Gold who was by comparison charmless, aggressive and (many people believed) altogether better suited to gangland thuggery than to cinema management.
One of the usherettes was Anna Ingham, an attractive and very presentable teenager who had clearly blossomed since junior school, where she had been well-known for having an almost-permanently runny nose.
Derek was a splendid bloke who was, around the time I knew him, assistant manager at the Broadway and trying his luck with a most delightful ice-cream girl from the Savoy Sale. I forget her name but I do remember her black hair and her pink overall.
I also recall she was married to (but separated from) an appalling thug who spotted Derek dropping her off at home one evening after work.
The ensuing debacle included Derek knocking the guy down with his car, followed by the guy jumping up again with an injured leg and stoically chasing Derek’s speeding car down the road for some distance.
In 1968, the manager was Dave Keats who, at various times of day, used to frequent a nearby pub called ‘The Post Office’.
If the District Manager phoned the cinema during one of Dave’s absences, the staff would always say “He’s at the Post Office”.
And he usually was. ;)
The ABC Ardwick doubled as a cinema and as a district office for the ABC Cinemas group. Dougie Revis was the charming, sensitive, avuncular District Manager until 1969 when he was replaced by Jimmy Gold who was by comparison charmless, aggressive and (many people believed) altogether better suited to gangland thuggery than to cinema management.
One of the usherettes was Anna Ingham, an attractive and very presentable teenager who had clearly blossomed since junior school, where she had been well-known for having an almost-permanently runny nose.
I remember the manager, Arthur Seddon.
As the 1960s were coming to end in the wider world, the 1950s had not yet begun in Arthur’s head.
I also recall the young cashier, Linda Conn.
Happy days. ;)
Dave Moss? Surely you mean Derek Moss!
Derek was a splendid bloke who was, around the time I knew him, assistant manager at the Broadway and trying his luck with a most delightful ice-cream girl from the Savoy Sale. I forget her name but I do remember her black hair and her pink overall.
I also recall she was married to (but separated from) an appalling thug who spotted Derek dropping her off at home one evening after work.
The ensuing debacle included Derek knocking the guy down with his car, followed by the guy jumping up again with an injured leg and stoically chasing Derek’s speeding car down the road for some distance.
Happy days. ;)