DJ Dougie and the Falkirk faithful share their magical Maniqui memories

One man whose memory banks were well and truly activated by the article was 74-year-old former DJ Douglas “Dougie” Law.

“I worked there through all the Maniqui years to around 1984 when it became Oil Can Harry’s for a time, so I was there every Friday and Saturday for 11 years. I was just honoured and very privileged to work there during that era.

“It came out of the Doak’s dancehall and was massively important to Falkirk and it was a great family to work for as well. It was a brilliant crowd that created a great atmosphere every weekend.

“We played pop, rock, soul and disco at the time and we also had a number of bands playing there on Saturday nights.”

Some of the acts Douglas introduced included Midge Ure, who was in a group called Salvation at the time, Scottish music legend Christian aka Chris McClure and Welsh Elvis Shakin’ Stevens.

“It was a real fun place,” said Douglas. “It was really like the Maniqui family – the bar staff, door stewards the whole team. When it changed to Oil Can Harry’s and became a nightclub things got a little posher and some of the atmosphere was lost.

“As a Falkirk FC fan I liken it to the team’s move from Brockville to Falkirk Stadium – some of the atmosphere just went.”

Famous Radio One DJs of the day, including Simon Bates and Johnnie Walker, were also guests at the venue during the “Dougie Law” era.

Last week owners David and Bill Johnston announced their intention to retire on Storm’s Facebook page and stated the long established Meadow Street premises would be continuing under new management.

The new owner is local man Steven Dougall, managing director, of Horizon Reinforcing and Crane Ltd, based in Falkirk’s Dollar Industrial Estate.

Steven said: “I used to go there every Friday when it was the Maniqui, I met my wife there and my mum and dad met each other there. That’s one of the reasons I bought it.”

Storm began life in 1933 under the ownership of David and Bill’s granddad as Doaks Dancing Academy and has, until this COVID-19 crisis anyway – been a constant feature of Falkirk night life for almost 90 years, changing from a ballroom to a restaurant and finally into its current form.

People will know it by a different name, depending on how old they are, and there are many fond memories of good times at Doaks, Oil Can Harrys, the Maniqui and, of course Storm.

Here are just some of the many fond – and maybe not so fond - memories that resurfaced online:

Neal McNeilly: “My mother and father in law met at Doaksies back in the early 60’s and thereafter married. Thirty years on, I met their daughter in the Maniqui and thereafter, happily married.”

Lorna Binnie: “I met my husband there, it was fate – he had asked me out in another venue The Hunting Lodge, I didn’t turn up and two weeks later he approached me in the Maniqui – the music was exciting in those days early 70s – and the start of love.”

Fiona Louise Boyle: “Loved the live bands on a Saturday night especially Susan Child and the Flamingos. You just walked and walked round the hall – if you came home dry you hadn’t had a good night. If you got pints spilled it was a good night. Those were the days.”

Derek Crombie: “Yes memories – first time there with Anne I was a bit drunk, when we just got in I went to the toilet, then all of a sudden two bouncers heaved me out down the stairs so great start.”

Nick Watson: “Images was the best back in the day. Great tunes upstairs, three walk arounds when you can’t find your mates and then trying to negotiate the stairs after too many shots, only to find them outside in unorderly crowd of people.”

Marilyn Robertson: “I remember the Penthouse, the disco downstair and my hubby was a bouncer there in the 80s.”

Jacqui Hughes: “I fell on the dancefloor and managed to save my drink – stayed to the end but had to visit A&E the next day. I only went and fractured my wrist, ha ha. Good night though. Lots of fantastic memories with friends.”

Andrew Leishman: “Enjoy your retirement guys and tanks for the memories – you were very nice to me over the years. Great memories of downstairs in the good old days.”

Brian Connolly: “Had some amazing nights in this place when I worked there for two years. Bill and Dave ran the place really well and will be missed. Good luck to them both and hope they enjoy their well deserved retirement.”

Kevin Robertson: “Had a good relationship with the stairs, every weekend we would roll about together.”

Mary King: “I believe during World War 2 the dance hall was commandeered for the war effort and the soldiers boots done some damage to the prized dance floor.My mum went to the ‘learners’ in the late 40s/early 50s where the owner John Doaks would teach dance.”

Marc Gray: “Feet stuck to the sticky floor. One days wage on five drinks and an atmosphere like it was full of Mike Tysons at the breakdown stage.”

Victoria Reynolds: “Every weekend without fail and when camera phones weren’t a thing thank God. Fell down stairs a few times and many a time been carried down them.”

John McNiff: “At Thursday’s punk nights in 70s I saw many a band and had a few walks home to Bo’ness. Great times.”

Fran Barr: “Long before it was a night club I used to go to Doak's Ballroom for dance lessons with my sister. My brother also attended for a while ‘just to help with his football’. My sister and I received medals and certificates for ballroom and Latin American.”

Evelyn Scott: “Mary King and I went there in the 70s when it was Doak's. I remember Bill Johnson taking our half pint snakebite off us when we were 16, daring us to go near the bar again or he would throw us out. These were the days.”

Irene Chalmers: “Worked in Oil Can Harry’s back in the day. Smashing and crazy.”

Justine Wallace: “Met my husband at the Maniqui in 1994, we will celebrate our 24th wedding anniversary this year.”

Heather Deans: “Loved the Maniqui/Storm when I lived in Falkirk – even met my now-to-be husband in there in 2008. Great memories.”

John Carlin: “First set foot in The Maniqui in June 1975 – blown away by the rope lights on the ceiling and the DJ in his booth beside the stage. Scotland v England in 1977, Scotland won at Wembley, fantastic party night at the Maniqui that night. Got engaged there Xmas Eve.”

Jim Fargie: “Doaks's Ballroom – can remember going or being dragged there for dancing lessons when I was at Victoria Primary School.”

Davey Reid: “Stopped going there when I was old enough to get in.”

Joss Bryson: “July 14, 1977, The Jam played inside the Maniqui, my dad was at the gig.”

Mark Leask: “Played the Maniqui many times 72ish with Cinnamon – always remember the go go dancers on stage, next to the band... hard to concentrate at times. Great gig though.”

Tracey Robertson: “Fell asleep in the ladies toilets one night. When I woke up, the place was in darkness. Lay on the toilet floor and went back to sleep. Got out at 7am when the cleaners came in.”

Rona Murdoch: “I remember it as Doaks 's. In the days you had to wait for a man to ask you to dance. I was nearly always a wallflower. Guys did not like skinny girls. Now aged 70. I have maintained my shape – just slightly fatter.”

Joanna Coats: “Had my 21st in the 'wee disco' in 1979 – use of the wee hall, bar, disco for £25.”

Steven Gillespie: “Big Tiger threw me out three times in one night – like the gentleman he was – not a hair of my head was harmed.”

Jean Turnbull: “My mum met my dad there when it was Doaks, then years later I met my husband there when it was the Maniqui.”

Liz McTaggart: “Had so many great nights in there – Images, Penthouse and the big dance floor in middle – many a drunk nights coming out right into taxi, perfect.”

Steven Learmonth: “Images!!!!! Jumping off the bench, slipping on the swimming pool floor of red stripe lager onto my back, and then getting covered in more red stripe from the rest of the bench crew.”

Jinty Hynd Duncan: “Christmas night 1985 we entered the can can on dance floor competition. Think the DJ was wanting a keek at our knickers.”

Mandy McNally: “Fell down the stairs plenty times had some good nights in there I canny lie.”

Janice McFadden: “Met my now husband there 41 years ago. We will be celebrating our 40th wedding on June 27.”

Phil Mundie: “What went on at the Maniqui stays at the Maniqui.”

DJ Dougie’s pictorial memories will feature in this week’s edition of The Falkirk Herald.