THE story about the two TV programmes about the Palais brought back many happy memories for me from my late teens and early twenties.

I am now 88 years of age and a resident in a nursing home in Wiltshire.

As I recall, Wednesday and Saturday evenings were very popular, but the highlight of the week for my husband Jim and many of our friends was Thursday 'Old Time Night' when we would swing along in the Lancers and the Cantillians to Phil Foster and his band playing 'Take me back to dear old Blighty' and ' Wee duck and Daisy'

There was an MC on Thursday, Mr Collins and his wife.

Many time Phil would stop the band and announce 'Please keep the ladies on the floor' when the lads were swinging the girls around in the Grand Chain.

Friday nights were long evenings until 2am for private functions — the police ball, Old Boltonians etc.

My mother Ethel, as she was affectionately called, worked in the box office for many years. Mecca as it was then, treated her to a trip to New York on the QE 11 for her long service.

Audrey Platt

Kingsdown Road

Swindon