I used to come to Billingham with my Mam and Dad in the 80s to visit my Gt Grandparents who lived on Rievaulx Avenue. Loved going to the Forum and loved being in Billingham. Remember going to the Billingham Folk Festival years ago too. Always remember it being a friendly place.
I used to love going on the ice rink back in the 70s then to Billingham Arms for a 45p pint of Guinness, nice to see Reggie Kray there enjoying a game of squash!
What a great video. Spent a lot of time in the Forum as a youth, it's just where you went. I'm glad to see it's all still there. Hard to believe we had a choice of swimming pools.
I am 16 years old and used to ask people what this place used to look like and when I watch this I can't believe what's happened to the area! Have to make a video on it!
So my pals and I almost lived at the Billingham Forum 1967 thru 1970… we were 15 in the beginning and mad on ice skating… I used to walk from Fairfield in Stockton, down Darlington Back Lane to the new rd.… pick up my mates in Norton, then on to Billingham Bottoms, Billingham Green past the old railway station (closed) thru the council estate to Billingham Town Center and the Forum.. We skated Friday nights.. all day Saturday morning afternoon and evening sessions. We would get free passes for cleaning and doing the ice between sessions from the Smith brothers the managers of the Rink… I think they also managed the Durham and Whitey Bay Ice Rinks. We loved it… great for meeting girls and getting into spectacular fights both on and off the ice… Teesside lads will know what I mean
Splendid piece of history. I used to go there to swim and ice skate back in the early 70's. Interestingly I was working on some electrical systems there in 1977/78. At the time large parts of the building ( bowls hall at the time ) were being repaired due to structural issues with the concrete floor beams. The wrong kind of concrete had been used and was cracking up. This was a massive undertaking of repairs. I recall it was due to the usage of some quick drying concrete technology.
The go ahead people of Billingham can shop in safety they can walk on heated pavements or maybe sample the High Cuisine of modern restaurants there is also a night club. Nothing has been left out of this comprehensive scheme. Blimey it sounds like Paradise.
Happy days I was born in low grange billingham in 1966 miss my home town 😢
I used to come to Billingham with my Mam and Dad in the 80s to visit my Gt Grandparents who lived on Rievaulx Avenue. Loved going to the Forum and loved being in Billingham. Remember going to the Billingham Folk Festival years ago too. Always remember it being a friendly place.
I used to love going on the ice rink back in the 70s then to Billingham Arms for a 45p pint of Guinness, nice to see Reggie Kray there enjoying a game of squash!
An amazing piece of local history!!
My Gran worked in the ice rank when it opened :)
What a great video. Spent a lot of time in the Forum as a youth, it's just where you went. I'm glad to see it's all still there. Hard to believe we had a choice of swimming pools.
I am 16 years old and used to ask people what this place used to look like and when I watch this I can't believe what's happened to the area! Have to make a video on it!
So my pals and I almost lived at the Billingham Forum 1967 thru 1970… we were 15 in the beginning and mad on ice skating… I used to walk from Fairfield in Stockton, down Darlington Back Lane to the new rd.… pick up my mates in Norton, then on to Billingham Bottoms, Billingham Green past the old railway station (closed) thru the council estate to Billingham Town Center and the Forum.. We skated Friday nights.. all day Saturday morning afternoon and evening sessions. We would get free passes for cleaning and doing the ice between sessions from the Smith brothers the managers of the Rink… I think they also managed the Durham and Whitey Bay Ice Rinks. We loved it… great for meeting girls and getting into spectacular fights both on and off the ice… Teesside lads will know what I mean
That's quite a walk. You must have been fit as a greyhound after that and the skating.
Splendid piece of history. I used to go there to swim and ice skate back in the early 70's. Interestingly I was working on some electrical systems there in 1977/78. At the time large parts of the building ( bowls hall at the time ) were being repaired due to structural issues with the concrete floor beams. The wrong kind of concrete had been used and was cracking up. This was a massive undertaking of repairs. I recall it was due to the usage of some quick drying concrete technology.
What a great find this video was, i always wonder how billingham looked when it was thriving. Shame it's not anymore.
Where is Billingham. It looks like paradise on the video.
@@AbandonEarth911 It's a soulless place now.
Good ole Billy :)
I just saw my dad!! :'D
I used to skate (okay, hang on to the side for dear life) at the Forum.
are you related to a guy called Louis
Do you know anyone called Louis?
Hahahaha
I LIVE THERE WOOOOO ! BILLINGHAM
I Do To!!!!!!
theys nowt exciting about the town center
The go ahead people of Billingham can shop in safety they can walk on heated pavements or maybe sample the High Cuisine of modern restaurants there is also a night club. Nothing has been left out of this comprehensive scheme. Blimey it sounds like Paradise.
Was paid for by ICI Billingham which was the Amazon corporation of it's day
good video
the soundtrack is proper cheeky :')
nothing like a bit of local history..
what happened to stockton :/ ...
I use to live right next to the night club now long gone..
I Live In Billingham :D
makes me want to move from Canada to Billingham :-)
You don’t
Ha you don’t trust me I live here it’s a shithole lol Canada is so much more peaceful
Interesting! 😊
The link about the reopening in the description is dead, FYI.
Exciting town centre?
@MrPhumo Exactly, thats the trouble. Everything just stagnated after 1970.
The space age coated in pigeon crap.
Makes Billingham look quaint
LOL. Apart from the people it looks exactly the same today.