The 1980's

After the Chicago Visit
1981

USA touch for Johnny's Nightclub
The Marsden brothers, of Huddersfield, are giving Johnny's Nightclub the “American Touch” following their study tour of the USA in May 1981.

They have installed American-style salad bars, pizza equipment, and club staff have been fitted out in American uniforms.
The latest equipment to be installed is a unique soft drinks dispensing gun which can provide several flavours of drink at the touch of a button.

The dispensing equipment was flown to Britain from the USA manufacturers, Cornelius, and it involved the Huddersfield firm of Ben Shaws in a major installation plan.

This included the fitting of over 5,000 ft of piping throughout the club to take the soft drinks into various bars.

The Marsden brothers’ USA trip included a behind-the-scenes look round Disneyland and visit to the world’s largest food service industry exhibition, staged by the National Restaurant Association on a 13 ½ acre site in Chicago.


The above is Ben Shaws Sales Manager John
showing Joe how the equipment works.


1986

Christmas dinners in Rosemary Lane Bistro
December 1986
Party goers enjoying their traditional dinner
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1801121616 - Charles Hepworth looking lost! 1801121658 - Sadie and Rose (Huddersfield Hotel Housekeepers) with their husbands at dinner.
1801121717 - Members of the Salvation Army band entertaining the diners. 1801121713 - Joe Marsden and his mum Delia with youngsters playing christmas carols.
1801121607 - Keith Calvert behind the bar. 1801121711 - Collecting for the Salvation Army.

Lord Wilson, Joe Marsden and Bill Owen (Compo) presenting a cheque to the Bodyscanner Appeal and Lord Wilson also stayed at Johnny and Joe's Hotel in 1987

To see more VIP visitors who have visited Johnny and Joe click HERE to view our lists and galleries.


Tony Iredale comparing the Fancy Dress Competition at Johnny's
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Above Nigel Hincliff affectionately known as the Mayor of Holmfirth taking over the microphone

 

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Centre left is Nigel, one of the fancy dress judges, who was a chef in the 80's at The Hilton Hotel Nigel now runs and owns The Croppers in Marsh, Huddersfield

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Below was received in the post addressed to Johnny in 1988 with £1 note enclosed.


1987


Johnny’s Marathon
JUNE 87 Disco Magazine

Johnny’s nightclub in Huddersfield held a charity 12-hour dance marathon which raised £1,135 to help buy a kidney dialysis machine, £10 of which came when DJ Richard Anthony, visiting the club, offered £5 if a customer would strip backfired, and the offer of £10 from a customer resulted in him being the one obliged to strip. Hus leg was in plaster at the time following a recent operation, and the resident DJ’s leg was also in plaster – what a pair for a dance marathon.

1987

A LOTTA BOTTLE!
This get together of Tip Top Automotive representatives at Johnny and Joe's Hotel.
Guess who's on orange juice!



Saturday 10th October 1987 Examiner Sports Editor John Gledhill and lecturer Eddie Barry presented prozes at Johnny's to Huddersfield Technical College students to Brian Lalor, Lisa Hague, Joanne Cook and Michael Storey.

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Eggstra Special Effort
Examiner sports editor John Gledhill accepts a £300 cheque from Johnny’s Complex  co-owner Mr. Joe Marsden (left) and employee Debbie Drury for the £1/2 million appeal.

Nearly 3,000 tickets were sold for a giant Easter egg raffle. The egg was given by the Huddersfield Woolworth store and tickets were sold at the Rosemary Lane Bistro, Boy and Barrel and Johnny’s nightclub.

The chocolate egg has still to be claimed and if no-one produces the winning ticket it will go to the children’s ward at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

The Huddersfield Central Lodge Hotel Car Park is pictured above.

HOW WAS IT DONE?...

Click HERE to see the full story!


1987
Wet T-Shirt competition at Johnny's
1987
Popular at the time, but maybe not anymore!
Running the competition is Tony Iredale, pictured below with some of the girls.
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Jimmy Ruffin (Famous Motown Singer) stayed at Johnny and Joe's Hotel in 1988

To see more famous singers who have visited Johnny and Joe click HERE to view our lists and galleries.



Staff Party in Johnny's Nightclub
1987


Radar dressed as Superman leading the way and on the right the hypnotist has put the staff into a trance.Some were still under a week after!

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Beating the drums in a new home!
November 1988


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Beating the drums in a new home

Two big drums used for at least a century at the annual Longwood Sing outdoor music making festival have gone into honourable retirement after being replaced. But they will not be forgotten for they are on display at Johnny’s Club Complex.

The Tympani are thought to be at least 200 years old and were played every year at the festival by the Paddock Youth Band. Time has now taken its toll and new instruments have been acquired with help from brothers Joe and Johnny Marsden.They have had the old Tympani renovated by local man Peter Whitwam and the drums are on show.

They were ceremonially drummed in to the restaurant by guest Mrs Marjorie Fisher, vice-president of Paddock Youth Band and a former Kirklees Mayor, watched by members of the Longwood Sing Committee.In the room the drums will hang alongside a collection of instruments put together by the brothers.

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Gordon Kaye warming up Paddock Youth Band at St Luke's Hospital (Ready for the Longwood Sing).


1989

Charity Fund Raising at Johnny's Nightclub
Kirklees Mayor Tom O’Donavon with Sarah Dyson, one of our favourite hotel receptionists helping Andrew and Richard Pursell with the collection boxes.
1501121700 - A thankyou card from the Sports Centre Staff after a fundraising night at Johnny's Nightclub in November 1989

More fun times!

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1302121506 - The Hong Kong National Football squad visiting Johnny and Joe in July 1986. They had a full Yorkshire breakfast each morning and won every game!

2402121647 - Bob Williams (Far right) from Old Almondburians Football Club presents Joe, Charles, and Johnny with an aerial photo of Southgate before the Sports Centre was built.


2302121652 - Johnny on the left watching Mick Ripley as he slowly takes his first drink
2302121717 - Above West Yorkshire Police Officers, Tom Robson, Tim Saville and Don King (The King Singers) with Johnny in the Champagne Room.
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Johnny and Angela knew that George was a keen supporter of the Salvation Army. So both decided to surprise the Mayor and Mayoress on the evening of the Mayor Making Dinner with the Brighouse Salvation Army Band. Bernard second from the left was the Conductor.


2901121445 0704121426 - Johnathan Linsley (Crusher Millburn of Last of the Summer Wine) with Mattamp and Mark Jameson our DJ in Johnny's Nightclub.

The Star Newspaper, Manchester - Published September 17, 1987


 
1304121655 - Stuntbike performer Eddie Kidd. Click here to view more famous people  

NIGHT CLUB WINS APPEAL ON NON-MEMBERS RULING

Local police had to be turned away when they applied to hold an event at a local night club because of a members-only rule; Huddersfield Crown Court was told yesterday.

But the court decided that Huddersfield licensing justices were wrong in refusing to grant John Patrick Marsden, proprietor of Johnny’s, in Beast Market, an open licence.

They allowed his appeal against the refusal which means that from now on the membership-only rule no longer applies. Mr Marsden’s application to have a full open licence, together with a special hours certificate, was turned down by the licensing justices on February 13 and Mr John Harrison, for Mr Marsden, said they may have been unduly influenced by a report presented to them by the chief superintendent of police who made remarks to the effect that establishments which had open licences and were not restricted to members and guests exported their trouble on to the streets.

NO OBJECTION

In fact, said Mr Harrison, the police did not object to Mr Marsden’s application and had agreed that his client’s premises were one of the better controlled clubs in town. “In fact the local police applied to have an event at Johnny’s and were turned away because of the membership rule,” said Mr Harrison. He added that many local firms wanted to hold special functions at the club and had to be refused. Mr Simon Lawler, for the licensing justices, said it was accepted that Mr Marsden was a fit and proper person, that his premises conformed to the proper standards and there was no criticism of any kind in the way they were conducted. He said the magistrates had based their decision on the fact that there were other premises in Huddersfield which had open licences and that if Johnny’s was granted one then the removal of the membership conditions might have resulted in less supervision and control. They took the view that the membership safeguard also safeguarded control of the premises.

DIFFERENT LINE

Mr Harrison said that although other premises might employ “bouncers” his client took a different line. He would continue to ensure that anyone who in opinion of the people at the door were not of respectable character would not be allowed in.

The Recorder granted an application from Mr Harrison for costs against the licensing justices which it was explained would come from central funds.



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Personality girl Julie's title win.

Pretty Julie Karen Stephenson was the apple of the judge's eye when she was voted Miss Kirklees personality girl 1988 last night at Johnny's night club. Julie 18 a student nurse from South Crosland will be leading the mayor's Parade early next month organised by Kirklees Junior Chamber of Commerce

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