Bowlers come to the rescue of keen dancers
Homeless Ogilvie Club members given warm welcome
The dancers of the Ogilvie Club have a new home.
The biggest group in the Oglivie Club, the Saturday night dancers, were left homeless after the legendary building shut down in March.
Now, ex-Ogilvie members can keep on dancing thanks to their neighbours at Victoria Bowling Club, who have welcomed them to join in their Saturday night dance.
Victoria president, Moira Crawford gave the green light to extend the dance invite after Ogilvie president Keith Steele asked if they’d be willing to double up.
The first weekend coincided with Mother’s Day and as a warm welcome, Victoria social convener Stephen McShane arranged for all the women at the dance to receive a bouquet of flowers.
On the opening day of the bowling season, everyone was admitted free to the dance and at Easter, the Ogilvie members were presented with Easter eggs from those at the Victoria, as an egg-xtra welcome gift.
With Saturday nights now busier than ever, Ogilvie president Keith said he is overjoyed at how well it has worked out for all concerned.
He said: “We have had a great welcome from all at Victoria.
“Stephen and Moira have gone out their way to make sure that we are so well looked after.”
The Victoria, based in Lady Lane, Paisley, have arranged a full season of dancing and cabarets for the old and new members.
And each event that has taken place to far since the merger has been a sell-out.
Stephen added it has been a fantastic marriage between the dancers of both clubs.
He said: “From my point of view, we are all one now.
“This way everyone can still enjoy the Saturday night dance.”
Paisley’s Ogilvie Club, which opened as a place for social gatherings in 1974, was sold off to developers because of a downturn in membership and the cost of running the premises.
It left loyal members with nowhere to go after the closure forced an end to the club’s most popular event – the Saturday night dance.
Since coming together, members from both clubs have been getting on famously.
One of the regulars from the Victoria said: “The Ogilvie members have been very friendly and we have all greatly enjoyed our time together so far.”