1980 The Famous Disco - Revision history

Joan at 16:22, 1 August 2025

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Joan at 16:12, 1 August 2025

2025-08-01T16:12:45Z

Joan at 16:09, 1 August 2025

2025-08-01T16:09:04Z

Joan at 15:34, 1 August 2025

2025-08-01T15:34:51Z

Joan at 11:07, 19 December 2023

2023-12-19T11:07:54Z

Joan at 10:15, 19 December 2023

2023-12-19T10:15:50Z

Joan: Created page with "{{Social Snapshot}}"

2023-12-19T10:13:43Z

Created page with "{{Social Snapshot}}"

New page

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 This disco is an item of [[Social Snapshots 1969-2000 inc]]
-This disco took place in Lacey Green [[Village Hall]].   It was extremely successful and through no fault of its own got closed down
+This disco took place in Lacey Green [[Village Hall]].   It was extremely successful and through no fault of its own got closed down.
 Here is the story as reported in Hallmark.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 This disco is an item of [[Social Snapshots 1969-2000 inc]]
-This disco took place in Lacey Green [[Village Hall]].   It was extremely successful and through no fault of its own got closed down.
+This disco took place in Lacey Green [[Village Hall]].   It was extremely successful and through no fault of its own got closed down
 Here is the story as reported in Hallmark.

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:09, 1 August 2025
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		+	This disco is an item of [[Social Snapshots 1969-2000 inc]]
		+
	This disco took place in Lacey Green [[Village Hall]]. It was extremely successful and through no fault of its own got closed down.		This disco took place in Lacey Green [[Village Hall]]. It was extremely successful and through no fault of its own got closed down.

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:34, 1 August 2025
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	'''EDITORIAL. Hallmark February 1984.''' '''POOR REFLECTION of SOCIETY'''		'''EDITORIAL. Hallmark February 1984.''' '''POOR REFLECTION of SOCIETY'''

−	The Village Hall Management Committee’s decision to stop letting the hall for public discos (except for under 14’s) wasn’t reached lightly or with relish. Elsewhere the facts are dealt with fully. Here we would like to say that the problem was not one of the disco itself, but of the public disorder that the police, the organisers, the hall committee or anyone else seemed unable to control, a poor reflection on today’s society.~~{{Social Snapshot}}~~	+	The Village Hall Management Committee’s decision to stop letting the hall for public discos (except for under 14’s) wasn’t reached lightly or with relish. Elsewhere the facts are dealt with fully. Here we would like to say that the problem was not one of the disco itself, but of the public disorder that the police, the organisers, the hall committee or anyone else seemed unable to control, a poor reflection on today’s society.

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     The result must only be a guide for the committee because whatever happens, as a management committee with two thirds representative members from the organisations that use the hall and one third elected members from the A. G. M. they must, in the last resort, be allowed to manage the hall for the benefit of the community.
-'''Letter in Hallmark, February 1984''' by Gerald Smith, the representative on the Village Hall Committee for the young people attending the disco.
+'''Letter in Hallmark, February 1984''' by [[Gerald Smith]], the representative on the Village Hall Committee for the young people attending the disco.
 '''DISCO MUST STOP'''
@@ Line 55: / Line 55: @@
 .      Cars at 11 p m obstructing the village ‘High Street’
-.  The last bus driver on occasion being intimidated to the extent that there was a hint that the last-bus drivers would not stop at the village centre bus stop.
+.   The last bus driver on occasion being intimidated to the extent that there was a hint that the last-bus drivers would not stop at the village centre bus stop.
 '''GERALD SMITH’S  RESPONSE AT THE MEETING'''
@@ Line 61: / Line 61: @@
 .      The loudspeaker noise (‘music’ to the youngsters) was well within the limits of intensity as laid down by the Department of Environment
-.       The music would only be heard by a few very nearby residents who moved into their dwellings in THE FULL KNOWLEDGE that the nearby hall had a music and dancing licence
+.       The music would only be heard by a few very nearby residents who moved into their dwellings in THE FULL KNOWLEDGE that the nearby hall had a music and dancing licence.
 .      The hall could not reasonably legislate for the type of transport that a hirer and guests might arrive and depart in/on

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:15, 19 December 2023
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−	{{Social Snapshot}}	+	This disco took place in Lacey Green [[Village Hall]]. It was extremely successful and through no fault of its own got closed down.
		+
		+	Here is the story as reported in Hallmark.
		+
		+	'''Hallmark June 1980 from the Village Hall Committee.''' '''DISCO COMPLAINTS'''
		+
		+	The pressure from certain quarters to close the three weekly disco continues to mount. Inside the hall the disco is properly supervised, in fact extremely well run. Noise and congestion outside at 11 o’clock is great, but only for a short while, and only every three weeks. Far better that parents should meet their teenagers than they should go home alone.
		+
		+	Teenage drinking is a national problem, and one feels sympathy for the local publicans, but it’s a cross they have to bear, their town colleagues have these problems nightly, every occupation has some hazard. As a village hall committee we understand the position, but we are supplying a need, admittedly for the surrounding area, but also for our own local young people. We try not to forget that the village hall is for all sections of the community, and we trust that tolerance on all sides will prevail in order that we can keep to that commitment.
		+
		+	'''Hallmark January 1982 from the Village Hall Committee.''' '''THE DISCO – THE FACTS'''
		+
		+	Soon after the Village Hall re-opening in November 1979, a commercial disco moved to our hall from Naphill Village Hall – they had to have a larger hall and we (the Village Hall Committee) were happy for a ‘good let’.
		+
		+	This disco is professionally and strictly run by Bob Egerton from Speen, regarded by the youngsters as one of the best discos for miles around, and patronised from a very wide area.
		+
		+	Right from the start, complaints arose from the noise, village vandalism, litter and drink problems (although the disco is soft drinks only), and in fairness it must be said that many of these complaints arose because older youths were not being allowed into the junior disco, so problems arose not from the disco but just from the event being held at the hall.
		+
		+	Throughout 1980, at nearly every monthly committee meeting the disco has been debated. The early view being that the criticism was always from a few people living near the hall and, with the disco only every three weeks, this was a small inconvenience to pay for the only village function that caters for the village youth. In the early days the police advised us to stop it, but the committee did not heed this warning, reiterating their view, that unless damage was inflicted on the hall the disco could continue.
		+
		+	Major damage has never been experienced in the hall, although the wear and tear from nearly 300 teenagers has taken its toll of the decorations and floor cleaning is a great problem. (Why must they keep running in and out?)
		+
		+	Towards the autumn the committee’s attitude began to change, complains became more numerous, the caretaker became disgruntled with the mess, and so by a two-thirds majority the committee agreed to terminate the disco at the end of 1981.
		+
		+	Complaints came from the parents, re. Depriving their youngsters of this popular event (also unnecessary abusive letters). So as a result the committee took the following decision: -- “That the disco be allowed to continue to the end of March, with the letting charge doubled to cater for the extra cleaning and decorating costs.” A vote to be taken at the A.G.M. on March 9<sup>th</sup>.
		+
		+	So it is up to you, a sort of referendum at the Village Hall, 8 p. m. Those who oppose the disco versus those parents who wish the youngsters disco to continue. We say parents because under the Village Hall constitution as laid down by the Charity Commissions, the only people eligible to vote at the A. G. M. are residents of Lacey Green and Loosley Row over 18 years old.
		+
		+	The result must only be a guide for the committee because whatever happens, as a management committee with two thirds representative members from the organisations that use the hall and one third elected members from the A. G. M. they must, in the last resort, be allowed to manage the hall for the benefit of the community.
		+
		+	'''Letter in Hallmark, February 1984''' by Gerald Smith, the representative on the Village Hall Committee for the young people attending the disco.
		+
		+	'''DISCO MUST STOP'''
		+
		+	It was an almost unanimous decision of the Lacey Green and Loosley Row Village Hall Committee at their meeting on January 8<sup>th</sup> to stop hiring the hall for public discos. The decision was reached after a full and exhaustive debate – one of many; the committee being aware of the differing and often conflicting interests of the parties concerned. On the one hand the 280 plus young people who attend and on the other certain aggrieved residents of the village and others; particularly those that live close by or en-route to the hall
		+
		+	'''BRIEFLY. COMPLAINTS WERE MADE'''
		+
		+	1. The noise of the music loudspeakers
		+
		+	2. Motorcycle engines in the car park
		+
		+	3. Youthful voices (no doubt often exuberant)
		+
		+	4. Engines and doors slamming of the cars arriving at about 11 p m collecting those leaving the disco
		+
		+	5. Nuisance of “rowdy gangs” attempting to get served at the local pub
		+
		+	6. Intimidating customers in the local pub
		+
		+	7. Empty drinks cans littering verges and residents gardens
		+
		+	8. Loud and objectionable language
		+
		+	9. Cars at 11 p m obstructing the village ‘High Street’
		+
		+	10. The last bus driver on occasion being intimidated to the extent that there was a hint that the last-bus drivers would not stop at the village centre bus stop.
		+
		+	'''GERALD SMITH’S RESPONSE AT THE MEETING'''
		+
		+	1. The loudspeaker noise (‘music’ to the youngsters) was well within the limits of intensity as laid down by the Department of Environment
		+
		+	2. The music would only be heard by a few very nearby residents who moved into their dwellings in THE FULL KNOWLEDGE that the nearby hall had a music and dancing licence
		+
		+	3. The hall could not reasonably legislate for the type of transport that a hirer and guests might arrive and depart in/on
		+
		+	4. It was never, as far as I was aware, the discoers themselves who brought cars along at 11 p m
		+
		+	5. It was never proved, as far I was aware that is was the discoers who tossed empty drinks cans or used bad language, or caused trouble at the pub or intimidated bus drivers, or ………….etc. etc …….
		+
		+	'''THE DECISION'''
		+
		+	It was still, despite the logic, decided that although the aggravation was not necessarily CAUSED by the disco or disco-ers it was nevertheless attendant upon it and coincided with the disco night. The decision was probably further influenced by a strongly worded letter to the licensee (the Chairman) pointing out that the licence must be re-applied for in due course and the granting (or refusal) of its renewal might be dependent on the number of complaints received (or not).
		+
		+	'''REGRET'''
		+
		+	The committee feel it is sad that a function obviously enjoyed by so many people must be denied the use of the village hall.
		+
		+	'''EDITORIAL. Hallmark February 1984.''' '''POOR REFLECTION of SOCIETY'''
		+
		+	The Village Hall Management Committee’s decision to stop letting the hall for public discos (except for under 14’s) wasn’t reached lightly or with relish. Elsewhere the facts are dealt with fully. Here we would like to say that the problem was not one of the disco itself, but of the public disorder that the police, the organisers, the hall committee or anyone else seemed unable to control, a poor reflection on today’s society.{{Social Snapshot}}