Wonderful Holidays At The Wta Holiday Camp

It makes me sad to know that Mallon Dene (formerly The Lido) has been demolished for houses to be built. I cherish my wonderful memories of the camp & the holidays I spent there, both with my mum & dad & my friends. Our first holiday was in 1959. I was just 16. I remember arriving outside the reception building (which was also the dining room & ballroom, upstairs) & feeling a bit disappointed. I don't know what I'd been expecting, as my parents had been taking me to holiday camps since I was 4 or 5 yrs old, but to me Rustington Lido seemed so small. I couldn't imagine spending 2 whole weeks there & not being bored. How wrong I was! I loved every second of it. It was there I had my first big crush. He was the accountant for the camp & he worked in a little glass fronted office inside the reception lounge. His name was Arthur Gable. I can laugh so much now because he was 11 or 12 yrs older than me, & though he was a very nice man, when I look at the old b/w photos of him & me I can see he wasn't really a 'dream man'. But my stomach used to turn somersaults whenever I saw him & when he came across the ballroom to ask me to dance I felt as if I was dancing on air! The gang of teenagers I palled up with on that holiday thought it was a hoot & teased me unmercifully. They all cheered & clapped when he came over because I'd stupidly told them all how I felt about him! I think those holidays, back in the late 50's & early 60's (we went there 5 or 6 years' running) form my happiest memories. It was so carefree & I was so happy then. Lipstick on your collar, Dream Lover, Stupid Cupid, Dream, dream, dream by the Everlys ... every time I hear that music I'm whisked back to those glorious days. Oh yes, & Apache & Three Steps to heaven on the jukebox in the Broadmark pub. Does anybody else share similar memories from those days? I'd love to hear about them