Felixstowe In The 1970's And The Chippy Fire(S)!

A Memory of Felixstowe.

We used to go to 'Beach Station' caravan park (Walton Avenue) for our annual August one-week holiday. My parents didn't own a car and living in Stowmarket, Felixstowe was very near and convenient! I was on holiday in Felixstowe when the Mannings Chip shop burnt down one hot afternoon!! It would've been about 1977 or thereabouts. Hundreds of us just stood and gawped as it went up like a tinderbox!!!I do remember the firemen trying to smash the till free!! We thought it was very exciting (we were easily entertained in those days!!). There also used to be a chippy opposite the Dolphin pub, although I believe it too burnt down!? Obviously the fat could be rather dangerous!! The caravans didn't have showers or loos in them then, so we often had to take a torch with us in the night and go to the concrete 'ablutions' block!! I also remember the 'dripping well' which fascinated me as a kid. Friday night was Amusement night and we would go on the rides at Mannings (the Flying Horses was our favourite, I wasn't allowed on the Mad Mouse rollercoaster as I was tiny and it was considered too dangerous!!) I got candyfloss in my hair one year and it was near impossible to shift!! In later years we started going to Hemsby instead.I remember so well getting all excited as our holiday drew near.....happy days!!

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