North Shields

A Memory of North Shields.

I first came to North Shields after leaving the army in 1972. I stayed at the Railway Hotel run by a tyrant of a woman who threw you out at 8am and would not let you back till 5pm! Worked at Tor-days then General Foam and at nights bouncing for a guy called Sid MacCullock who owned the Jungle, the Sands in Whitley Bay, and Top Hat, Spenny Moor. Pay was great 20 quid a night and free booze if you needed it - got stabbed once and threatened many times. I remember the police muster rooms next to the Jungle. I remember one night a 'lady of the night' got drunk and started fighting anything and anybody, so her being a woman and all, we called the police who duly put her in the car (a Hillman Imp). They did not leave, but came back and chided me "cannot you control a woman?" Just then a crash, and she had broken the rear window! The cops had flashlight red faces. Great time as well in East Howen at the Percy Arms, and the Welfare on Sunday with the strippers.

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