THE HEIGHT OF SOPHISTICATION
The famous faces who graced Arno’s Court County Club in its 1960s heyday
IN the 1960s, Arno’s Court on Bath Road in Brislington enjoyed a reputation as one of Bristol’s most popular and sophisticated nightclubs. The Gothic mansion, built in the 1760s by William Reeve, a Quaker copper smelter, had briefly been a boy’s school in the 1840s, then a Roman Catholic convent and girls’ reformatory school for nearly 100 years from 1850.
It was used as offices by Bristol City Council from 1948, until it was opened as Arno’s Court County Club and Hotel by co-proprietors Eric Hogg and Harold Hoyle in December 1960.
Bristol-born Hogg lived in Talbot Road, Brislington and was a former landlord of the now-demolished Red Lion, Wells Road, Knowle and his parents had run The Langton Court Arms, Langton Court Road, St Annes in the 1930s.
Harold Hoyle had worked for Bristol Bakeries, and during the seven or eight years he and Hogg ran the club, he lived in a flat at Arno’s Court with his wife Connie.
Arno’s Court County Club was officially opened on December 1 1960 by comedian Derek Roy, who had appeared on the opening night of ITV five years earlier.
The Post reported that Councillor George Maggs (later Lord Mayor) hailed it as “A welcome addition to Bristol’s night life”. The Evening World headline was “Gay Evening for Opening of New County Club”.
Around 300 members and guests enjoyed dancing, a buffet supper and entertainment from cabaret artiste and singer Sheila Southern. The club soon became a popular nightspot for Bristol businessmen, such as millionaire Harry Dolman, who was director, president and chairman of Bristol City football club 1949-74.
The TWW studios (later HTV, now ITV West) adjoined Arno’s Court and had been officially opened on October 23 1960 by Lord Mayor Alexander Jenkins. The “First Night” variety show, starring Bud Flanagan, Rosemary Squires, Ivor Immanuel and pop idol Marty Wilde was broadcast on November 20.
Many artists who were appearing on TWW frequently visited Arno’s Court, as did those appearing at the Bristol Old Vic and Bristol Hippodrome. These included Morecambe & Wise, who were frequent visitors, particularly when appearing in the 1963-64 pantomime Sleeping Beauty and The Morecambe & Wise Show in 1968 at the Hippodrome.
Eric Morecambe is said to have had a particular fondness for the club, and although the duo never appeared in cabaret there, they often gave impromptu shows for fellow guests.
Another frequent visitor was the broadcaster and journalist Nancy Spain, who was a regular columnist for The Daily Express, News of the World and She magazine. In the 1950s and 60s she was a regular panelist on TV shows What’s My Line and Juke Box Jury.
Unknown to the public she lived in a lesbian ménage à trois with Joan (“Jonny”) Werner Laurie, editor of She, and rally driver Sheila Van Damm. Aged 46 Nancy Spain and Joan Werner Laurie were killed in an aeroplane crash at Aintree while travelling to the 1964 Grand National.
Other celebrity visitors were singer and actress Jill Day, who had her own BBC TV shows in the early 1960s, farmer-turned-radioand-TV personality, Ted Moult, remembered for his Everest Double Glazing TV adverts in the 1980s, and HTV presenter Alan Taylor, who was the original presenter of Mr and Mrs.
Another TV name who was
often seen at the club was Kent trio of double bass, trumpet and Walton, presenter of TWW’s pop drums, and there was weekly show Discs A Go Go which ran cabaret with the artistes often from 1961-65, though he is best staying in the hotel. Eric Hogg, a remembered as the commentator smooth talker and the public for ITV wrestling 1955-88, with his relations man of the club, was also trademark sign off “Have a good the compere for cabaret nights. week - till next week”. Club members enjoyed regular
The club covered the whole first themed fancy dress nights such as floor with a dining room, dance a Tramps’ Ball, 1920s evenings, floor, the “Dream Room” with Schoolboys and girls, and treasure bingo, and a games room with hunts, all for a membership of fruit machines, billiards, snooker seven Guineas (single) and 12 and table tennis where Tom Jones Guineas (double). once played while appearing in A swimming pool was opened cabaret. about 1961 where guests could The club had its own musical enjoy “a pleasant swim in Mediterranean warmth” as the regular advert in the Post advert noted, adding: “An ever increasing number of Members enjoy Wining and Dining in the gay and pleasant atmosphere of Arno’s Court County Club...see, hear and meet the Stars at the Club with the Mostest.”
On January 25 1965, a “luxurious, Continental-style casino...the finest in the West Country” was opened in a nearby converted barn, by Belgian casino businessman Marcus Goldblatt and his son Ralph. Parisian crystal chandeliers were imported, and 200 bottles of champagne were consumed by 350 guests who included “Glamorous Night Club Entertainer”, Mandy Rice Davies, still famed for her involvement in the notorious Promumo scandal two years earlier, and who was now appearing in cabaret at the Webbington Country Club near Weston-super-Mare.
The Goldblatts leased the premises from the club, who in turn had a 99-year lease from Bristol City Council. The casino only lasted about three or four years, but during its time it was a byword for luxury. Punters could often be seen leaving around midday on a Sunday morning after a hard night at the roulette, chemin de fer and blackjack tables.
The club had its own darkroom, with resident photographers Mr. Casey and Henry Springer who photographed members and their guests and the visiting artists, which were displayed outside the club - which didn’t close until 2am. Artists Mr Casey later remembered photographing were Tessie O’Shea, comedy banjolele playing singer of the 1940s and 50s - known as “Two Ton Tessie” - and Dusty Springfield when she was still with pop trio, The Springfields, before her hugely successful solo career. When singer and comedian Max Bygraves made a private visit, he made it very clear in advance he wanted no photos taken.
In 1992, I interviewed three Brislington couples who were members of the club in the early years.
Edward and Monica Sutor were founder members in 1960. Mrs Sutor remembered hearing the stories of Arno’s Court’s resident ghost, “Sister Theresa”, a nun dressed in grey who was also seen by Mrs Connie Hoyle walking up an unfinished staircase, and was also seen gliding along a corridor by a hotel guest.
Mr and Mrs Sutor both remembered the near-riot in 1965 when British “blonde bombshell” Diana Dors was due to appear in cabaret, but failed to turn up! Other artists they remember who did appear in cabaret included Gerry Dorsey, later better known as Engelbert Humperdinck, who shot to fame with Release Me, and the popular honky-tonk pianist Mrs (Gladys) Mills - “with all the appeal of a cuddly dinner lady”!
They also saw the hugely popular singer Matt Monro, who had a string of hits in the 60s with songs like Portrait of My Love (1960) and Walk Away (1963), as well as American trouser-splitting teen idol, P.J. Proby. There was comedian/magician Tommy Cooper, guitarist Bert Weedon, and singer Ronnie Hilton, best remembered for his 1956 Number One No Other Love and his 1965 children’s classic A Windmill in Old Amsterdam. There was also Welsh comedian and actor Stan Stennett, a regular on TV’s Black and White Minstrel Show who later found lasting fame in the 1980s as garage mechanic, Sid Hooper in the so-bad-it’s-good ITV soap Crossroads.
Mr and Mrs Sutor were also present on the night 50s crooner David Whitfield (the first British artist to have a No1 in UK with Cara Mia in 1954) appeared in cabaret and was subsequently banned from further bookings because of his risqué stories and bad language!
Bill and Phyllis Cross were club members from 1960 to 1963. Mrs Cross recalled the club as being “very upmarket” with a lot of professional people - doctors, businessmen, etc. as members.
There was an ornamental pond with a fountain in the foyer, which was beautifully decorated with white paintwork, a scarlet carpeted double staircase and crystal chandeliers. Mrs Cross remembered the ladies’ loos being very beautiful and the ballroom being all lilac and mauve. The stars they remember seeing included singer Susan Maughan who had a hit with Bobby’s Girl in 1962, comedy actor Max Wall famous for his “Professor Wallofski” character, and teen idol, Adam Faith, who had a string of hits beginning with What Do You Want? in 1959.
Mike and Pat Sweet were also members in the early years and were there on the opening night.
Mrs Sweet remembered Mrs Hoyle (known locally as “Lady Hoyle’) being well known for her bouffant hairstyle and pink American limousine. They were also there for the opening of the swimming pool in about 1961, when there was a “Spanish Night” - the opening ceremony was possibly performed by the Spanish ambassador (?)
On the same night, Mrs Sweet and some friends got drenched by a broken water pipe in the ladies loo.
Around 1967/68, Eric Hogg and Harold Hoyle left the club and two other proprietors followed until the club closed in 1970. Hogg moved to Babbacombe to run a hotel and died in 2010, and Hoyle retired to Fuengirola, Spain.
A restaurant and banqueting rooms were opened at Arno’s Court in September 1970, and for many years it was a popular wedding reception venue. About the same time Caesar’s Disco (later Reeves) was opened. Renamed The Parkside Hotel in 1987, it received its present name, Arno’s Manor Hotel in 2000, and is still trading today but without the cachet of sophisticated luxury it had in its glory days in the Swinging Sixties.
» If you have any memories of visiting (or working at) Arno’s Court in its heyday, feel free to share them. Email bristol.times@b-nm.co.uk