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The snooker table is said to be one of the best in Burnley.
For the Concert Artistes Club situated in the heart of Burnley traditions die hard, the secret of its success despite the fact that it is no longer at the heart of a thriving town centre community. This week, the second in a series of 10, we take a look at the club with the intriguing name and a fascinating history.
The origins of the club go back to 1912 but it did not really get going until after the great War when it was formed by a group of entertainers from the trenches of the Western Front. In those days the club was ideally situated, surrounded by hundreds of homes but over the years the old town centre was demolished. And yet the Concert Artistes’ has survived even with the strong competition from pubs. The site of the present club was the YMCA and before that the club had a room in Parker Lane and then moved to the Scarlett Arms where Marks and Spencer stands today. The entertainers who founded the club wanted a place to put on concerts, hence the name. One of the older members Mr. Ambrose Greenwood remembers the early entertainment. “We got singers and comedians who had performed at the Empire and Palace Theatres. I remember on one occasion we had a tenor and a soprano from a professional opera company which had performed at the Victoria Theatre. In the 1920 and 30s we used to have a resident jazz band.” They still have live entertainment at the club and on Saturday night recently the place was packed to the doors as a jazz band entertained. They have strong drinking traditions at the club, too, but it has nothing to do with anything as commonplace as beer. Benedictine is not a drink which is commonly associated with a workingmen’s club but it has been popular at the Concert Artistes’ since the club was formed after World War 1. The founders of the club brought the taste back with them from the Continent and up to this day Benedictine “chasers” are common at the club. It is the belief amongst the members that more Benedictine is drunk in the club than anywhere else in the whole of Britain. About 10 years ago their loyalty to the drink was acknowledged by the Benedictine company who sent Miss Benedictine to the Concert Artistes’ as a promotion exercise. At one time the club was quite wealthy and used to organise cut price holidays for members. Former treasurer, secretary and sports secretary, Mr. Harold Ramsbottom said, “We used to run trips abroad to places like Amsterdam, Majorca and Paris. We had a very good response for these. A four day holiday to Majorca would cost a member £22.50.

We used to have guests from clubs from places like Bacup, Rawtenstall and Blackpool. At the moment the club is bucking up again, we have a young committee which is trying to get the club back on its feet.” Nevertheless, the club is still going through hard times as the president Mr. Tom Haggerty explained. He said, “We are just about holding our head above water. Because people no longer live in the town centre they have to come in by bus which is expensive but we do quite well at Saturday lunchtime when shoppers come in.” The club, which now boasts a membership of some 400, enjoys a certain amount of success in club sports. It has three snooker teams in the local Club and Institute Union League and has a couple of darts teams. Dominoes and card games are also very popular during the evenings and at lunchtimes. The vice president of the club, Mr. Fred Pollard has been a member since the last war. He said, “My mother and father were members it was a sort of tradition. This club has always been very friendly. If you came in here as an absolute stranger people would start talking to you.” And the club has never been without a sense of humour and characters. “About 15 years ago some renovation work was done at the club. One of the workmen fell through the ceiling in to the bar below. He was unhurt and one of our members asked him if he had dropped in for a drink!”

One of the most popular members was Teddy Pollard, who died several years ago and who was famous far and wide for his own special brand of bingo calling. He would have the packed concert room singing out with him numbers such as “Tom Mix, number six”. The club’s relatively young secretary, David Stuttard is very proud of the sporting facilities of the club. “I have heard from several top snooker players in the town that ours is the best table to play on in Burnley.” You are always guaranteed to receive a warm welcome from doorman George Howley. Mr. Howley says, as the first person people see, he always tried to make people feel welcome.

Member Mr. Jimmy Wood said “This may not be the biggest club in Burnley but we are the friendliest. We are going through hard times at the moment but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel." Mr. Wood enjoys the Christmas carnival nights, “In one competition we got some women on the stage and asked then to erect deck chairs wearing boxing gloves. We also have a Miss Clubland competition with blokes dressed as women!” The entertainment may have changed over the years but the Concert Artistes’ seems to possess all the ingredients to survive for many years to come.