Kilbirnie - Social History

Social History

Amongst many other old buildings in the Town, stands the "Walker Hall", a memorial hall dedicated to Dr Walker, one of the first physicians in the town. In the 1950s and 1960s this was very famous as a dance hall, coming second only to Glasgow Barrowlands itself. Famous bands to play there included Gerry & The Pacemakers and Bill Haley & His Comets. In the 1980s it housed a market roughly once a week, though these days it houses the town's Citizens Advice Bureau and is regularly the venue for meetings, concerts and wedding receptions.

Other sources of entertainment in the 1950s and 1960s included two cinemas, both of which have long since closed. One of these cinemas is now the home of Radio City. The Association which formed Radio City was set up in early 1998 to identify ways of providing both much needed local facilities and a use for the disused former cinema which occupies a prime site in Kilbirnie town centre. During the 1997 election campaign, MP Brian Wilson had met with a group of local teenagers who had stressed the need for local facilities, and, with the help of Largs architect Paddy Cronin, plans were developed to provide a Healthy Living Centre which would include fitness facilities, internet access, a healthy eating cafe and child care. Bids for funding were made to both private and National Lottery organisations. The original steering group included Allan Wilson, Jim Stevens, Greta Jennings (now chair of the Company), John Bell (now a local councillor and also treasurer of the Company), Douglas and Brian Johnstone, Derek Clarkson, Agnes Walsh, Ian Gemmill, Ken James, and George Stevens.