The Windmill
The Windmill Adventure Golf is not just a round of crazy golf. It is a unique experience that can be shared by all the family, young and old. The incredible themed settings throughout the course are packed with cinema history and theatre memorabilia, and to give you an idea why so much heritage can be found in this unique building we have to go back to the beginning.
The building started life as The Gem Theatre. Designed by architect Arthur S. Hewitt. Initially intended to be a menagerie for displaying wild animals, however opinion from locals swayed it to become one of the country’s first electric picture houses instead. The Gem opened on Saturday July 4th 1908, for the ‘Electric Vaudeville’; a continuous flow of films. Today it is now one of Britain’s earliest surviving Cine Variety buildings.
It had a magnificent display of electric light bulbs attached to the front of the building which gave it the nick-name ‘Palace of a Thousand Lights’. Inside a seating provision for over 1000 would be often full to witness engrossing moving pictures. One of the original conditions of the cinema license, like the local bathhouses, men and women weren’t allowed to mix and had to sit on opposite sides of the auditorium.
Prices when the cinema opened were; 2d, 4d and up to 6d if you sat in a plush seat at the front. In today’s money it cost just under 2p for a front seat!
Theatre owner and before becoming London leading West End producer C.B. ‘Cockie’ Cochran used to stand outside the theatre barking and enticing people in, which was soon banned by the local council.
In 1948, local impresario Jack Jay took over ‘The Gem’ and transformed into a theatre, The Windmill Theatre. Before re-opening Jack Jay fitted a set of sails to the front of building, which was partly influenced by the string of windmills which used to line the Great Yarmouth seafront, and to pay homage to the world famous music hall ‘The Moulin Rouge’ in Paris. They are still there today.
Stars who have appeared there include many legendary variety and pop superstars, from Billy Fury, Marty Wilde, Norman Wisdom, Max Bygraves, Sid James, Tommy Trinder and many others show casing popular TV stars; Love their Neighbour, On the Buses, and Crossroads, all huge hits at the time.
For a number of summer seasons The Windmill was home to the wonderful Lancashire Comedian, George Formby. The 1959 Summer Season was sadly George’s last season here before his death, however never forgotten there is a memorial inside the course, which pays tribute to the star.
Summer Shows were packed with artistes The Billy Fury Show, Karl Denver, Chic Murray and the 1962 starred Tommy Steele, Frankie Howerd, and was the first season for local band Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers. Freddie Starr fronted the final Summer Show season in the early eighties.
The Windmill theatre built an illustrious history of famous performances and talent right through until it’s unfortunate decline in the early 1980’s, where the boom of home television was impacting local cinema and theatre. With the Windmill being one of five theatres and cinemas along the seafront, it was again forced to adapt to the times.
Whether you remember watching an iconic film, experiencing a Summer Show performance, darting around ‘Wally Windmills’, visiting ‘Ripley’s Believe It or Not’ Odditorium, or the Waxworks, you can reminisce throughout the uniquely themed crazy golf course.
The Windmill has had probably the most varied uses in a British theatre history in the country, and now Britain’s first most spectacularly themed indoor golf adventure right here in Great Yarmouth.