With the closure of Grayson’s Bar in Seaton we see the end of an era for entertainment and social gatherings in the village. The building was previously known as Seaton Royal British Legion and has held quite a standing as a place of socialising and entertainment for 60 odd years.

The building, which was built in 1884, started as the headquarters for the Templars Lodge and over the years has had various uses including a grocery shop, a fish and chip shop and a branch of the Midland Bank. My grandfather Joseph Milner, was the first club steward of the newly formed British Legion in 1954. My father Jim Milner was one of the members of the new committee who applied to the British Legion to be allowed to open the club. At first, its members were restricted to ex-service men and women but later they opened the membership to anyone of good character voted on by the committee. Jim Milner took over as steward from his father and held the position for 17 years. The family link was kept going by Bill Grayson, Joseph’s son-in-law and Jim’s brother-in-law who worked part time in the Legion for many years before himself taking over the position of steward full time. When the RBL closed a couple of years ago, the venue opened up again under new management as Grayson’s Bar in memory of Bill, a popular character in the village.

Back in the day the club was used by the members through the week for drinking and socialising and had many team activities such as snooker, darts, dominoes and billiards, entering up to two or three teams into the local leagues competing against other clubs in the Workington area.

It was at the weekends however, when the club really came to life putting on entertainment for the members and their wives. This started in the late 50s and early 60s with the “singing room”. People would get up and do a turn singing, whistling or even playing the spoons accompanied by the resident pianist.

In 1969, the committee decided to transform the neglected upstairs room to a newly furnished up to date concert room. A new Hammond organ was purchased from J P Dias in Carlisle. I was employed at weekends as the organist, and along with a drummer and compere performed each week backing local performers and accompanying professional and semi-pro bands and entertainers from all over the country. Being only 15 years old old at the time, the club had to get special permission to allow me to play.

The club’s hey day for entertainment was in the 70s. Saturday nights entertainment were generally local bands and duos. One of the first was the Four of Clubs with lead singer Billy Steel and drummer Joe Costin, who now presents programmes for BBC Radio Cumbria. Other bands such as Late Harvest, The Misfits, The Tinkers, Penny Black and Ritz, as well as many others performed in the club over the years.

On Sunday nights the club were able to afford some big-name acts getting them cheaper on the Sunday as they would often be returning from a weekly gig over in the North East or Scotland. This included bands like The Dakota’s, Copper Kettle, Christian, Paul Squire and the Millionaires, The Dooley’s, Rainbow Cottage, again the list goes on.

The club was full both nights and if the audience arrived too late, they were turned away with the “room full” notice greeting them on the door. New Years Eve and bank holidays were always over subscribed and people would queue around the building long before the doors opened.

The club audience began to decline in the eighties when more venues began to open in Workington culminating in discos taking over from the resident musicians to save costs. In time the clubs lost the social atmosphere in the concert rooms and people drifted further away causing the eventual closure of the room for weekly entertainment.

The club was still used for some functions in the latter years for example Seaton’s Got Talent, Charity Quiz’s as well as christenings and weddings and funeral teas. Seaton Village Choir met there every Tuesday evening for nine years to rehearse, and performed many of their charity concerts there.

The future of the building itself has been uncertain since the plot was acquired to provide access for a new housing estate. However, there are many people in the village who regard the place with fondness and many happy memories have been made there.