WM Clubs in Sunderland area, long since gone!


Can't beat pallion club on a Sunday when you are hung over or if your still pissed free gardeners first until pallion club opens
 
My old granda went to Plains Farm club most nights for the 30 years I was around to see him and probably 15 before that.

Great memories from when I was a nipper of the menfolk going back and forth between the club and home on a Sunday. Few lunchtime pints while the women put a Sunday dinner together, back home for a few hours then back to the club on the night stinking of Brut. Everyone always seemed to be happy on a Sunday.

Being took down for my first pints and a game of snooker seemed like a real right of passage as well.

Shame they are dieing a death, the next one that closes they should move it to Beamish because they are a huge part of our cultural heritage that will probably end up being forgotten about as they turn into more generic pubs to keep going.
 
Times change Teed, remember that you only had three? TV channels back in those days so I would imagine if there was nowt on the telly everyone would go to their local pub. These days you can find entertainment at the press of a button. Technology eh?
Of course, they do, that's the nature of life, unfortunately, when you press that button, you end up with a pile of shite, by the way, I didn't really watch TV back then, I was busy enjoying my time socializing with real people, crazy concept I know, but it was fun, so much better than Love Island, etc, keep pressing the button Min, one day you might find some satisfaction.
Going through old footy Echo’s in my late oldl man’s attic. This one was from 1973.
Sorry wouldn’t know Commercial Road WM Club was situated.
I have a spooky feeling it might have been in "Commercial road" mate, just a wild stab in the dark mind.
 
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Still play the old wmcs quite often. Some are still thriving.

The ones that refused to move with the times went the journey. You have to make your club welcoming to younger people. See the Mill View Club, pool rooms, live sport on all the time, live music every single week. Loads happening. Decent prices. Money spent to keep it looking good. They are reasonably friendly as well.

Reasonably because they are still a WMC and have their ways :lol:
One downside to mill view is they let women into the inner sanctum- the bar.
 
One downside to mill view is they let women into the inner sanctum- the bar.

Seen it kick off a bit once on a Saturday night years ago..group of youngish lads sitting having a laugh..nearly 10.30pm..swearing a bit..as you do in the bar..bloke comes in with his Mrs..couple of minutes goes by..'haway lads keep the language clean'..'nor we're in the bar'..and it went from there..take your women in the lounge..simples.
 
Of course, they do, that's the nature of life, unfortunately, when you press that button, you end up with a pile of shite, by the way, I didn't really watch TV back then, I was busy enjoying my time socializing with real people, crazy concept I know, but it was fun, so much better than Love Island, etc, keep pressing the button Min, one day you might find some satisfaction.

I have a spooky feeling it might have been in "Commercial road" mate, just a wild stab in the dark mind.
😂
 
Nowt in the lounge.


They'd get called slags and told to piss off when they crept into the bar to tell their fella something in Redhouse club.

That place used to go up over nowt.

Ructions when they announced the pints were going up by a few pence. One of the committee men got filled in when he wouldn't turn the heating down when a bloke was saying his missus was too hot.


Millview is always rammed.
Me Da was vice secretary or junior secretary or something in Redhouse club for years when it first opened. My back garden was up against Downhill Club carpark and I never once went in there, in fact when I was a kid there was no Downhill Club or even Downhill then, just fields.
 
Instant barring at our club if you were caught playing it - same with shoot.

Classed as games of chance and without a gaming/gambling license the club itself could be shut down if they allowed them to be played.
Gambling for small stakes happened in every club. Can't remember a club ever being shut down for it
 
They were great for what they were a cooperative where the working man could drink cheap beer.
I was never a club man though, too many little Hitler committee men wielding their imaginary power.
Preferred the boozer, at least you only had one gaffer to answer to in there.
 
My parents and relatives went to Thorney Close for many years - my dad was proud that he was a 'jolly boy' 😂. When he died she started going to the Grindon club and Farringdon on a Sunday night for the dancing. Just before she died she went into Archer's Court care home and her room overlooked the defunct Farringdon club - it broke her heart to see it all shuttered up and falling to bits.
 
Gambling for small stakes happened in every club. Can't remember a club ever being shut down for it
Not saying it didn't happen. But in our club it still is an instant barring offence if you're caught playing the two games mentioned. Up to the lads playing if they want to take that risk.

The reason is as stated - you need a proper full gaming/gambling license to allow 'games of chance' to be played - like a casino. Again, up to the club itself if they want to turn a blind eye but they can be fined heavily and/or shut down (the harshest penalty) if they are found to be letting it happen without censure.

Dominoes and other card games, such as Nap, are allowed as they have an element of skill involved and are not classed as 'games of chance'.
 

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