Mecca Leisure Group

Last updated

Mecca Leisure Group
Company type Private
Industry
Founded1933 (as Mecca Agency Limited)
Founder
  • Carl L. Heimann
  • Byron Davies
Headquarters London, England, UK
Key people
Michael Guthrie, Chairman

Mecca Leisure Group (also known as Mecca Leisure Ltd, Mecca Ltd, and Mecca Dance Ltd) was a British business that ran nightclubs, hotels, theme parks, bingo parlours and Hard Rock Cafes. [1] During the 1960s, Mecca was a centre of entertainment with numerous nightclubs throughout major United Kingdom towns and cities. Mecca ballrooms were used for the BBC TV show Come Dancing . [2] Eric Morley was a general manager of dancing at Mecca Leisure Group and was involved in the Miss World competitions.

Contents

Notable DJs performing at Mecca nightclubs include Jimmy Savile [3] [4] from 1960 [5] and Pete Waterman.

The Coventry Locarno is the subject of the Specials song "Friday Night, Saturday Morning", B-side to Ghost Town . [6] Chuck Berry's live version of "My Ding-a-Ling" was also recorded there.

History

The Mecca Leisure Group has its origins in the Mecca Agency Limited, a company co-founded by Carl L. Heimann and Byron Davies in 1933 to operate the recently created dance hall chain Mecca Dancing. [7]

In 1989, the company acquired Pleasurama plc. [8]

In 1990, the Rank Organisation made an offer of £512m to acquire Mecca Leisure Group, which was initially rejected, and then accepted two months later. [1] [9]

Venues

VenueLocationOpeningLater namesClosure
Locarno Ballroom [10] Basildon 1961
Blackpool Mecca Blackpool 1965
Locarno Ballroom Burnley [11] 1962Cat's Whiskers, Ritzy1996
Mecca Locarno [12] Coventry
Ilford Palais [13] London
Locarno Ballroom [14] Glasgow 1926
Mecca Locarno Ballroom [5] Leeds 19381969
Locarno Liverpool 1948
Lyceum Theatre London1834
Southampton Royal Pier [15] Southampton 19631979
Stockport Plaza [16] Stockport 1965
Locarno Ballroom [17] Swindon 19521969
Mecca Dance Hall Tottenham London19102004
Hammersmith Palais London19192007
Sherwood Rooms Nottingham19571984
Locarno Bristol 19661991 [18]

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