November 1934
The Palace Ballroom opened in November 1934 in an empty building of the former Maryport Brewery. Harry Ritchie, a local motor engineer and garage had the idea of converting the old premises into a large ballroom. It was the place where love bloomed, where the floor had a spring to match Blackpool’s Tower Ballroom and a place the biggest stars of the day performed. Gerry and the Pacemakers, Herman’s Hermits, Lulu, The Searchers, the Hollies, and many more would stop on their way to or from London or Glasgow for a packed-out concert – unique to a small town tucked away on the coast. The Palace was also the stomping ground of local bands including Billy Steele and the Strollers, who would suddenly find themselves on the bill with the top musicians of the day. The Palace eventually became the Civic Theatre and there was widespread anger and regret in 2009 when the Palace, which had by then become the Civic Hall, was demolished.
