Being There The Day The Rex Burned Down!

A Memory of Consett.

I lived in Consett from the mid-fifties onwards and have many mixed memories.
One distinct episode was the burning of the REX cinema.
I was living in the Black Horse in Front Street at the time and remember being woken early that morning by my family shouting and running about in the house. My aunt was the Stewardess of the 'Top Club', or Consett Working Mens' Club to give it the formal title, which was right next door to the REX and we were worried for her safety. My dad and his brother were already over there getting her out along with her dog, Max, and a few hastilly chosen possessions. The snap and banging of the asbestos roofing was really loud and the flames were about 20 feet above the roof-line at the most active time of the fire. My mate actually called for me at the house and we ran around to the back of the Rex where the Police were co-ordinating things with the Fire Brigade. To young boys it was exciting but obviously it was a sad loss of a well loved venue. Luckily, although the building was totally destroyed, no-one was hurt and no other businesses were lost.