Loved Kingsway
many local people.”
Mark Wright, bar manager of the nearby Clifton Hotel, said at the time: “We saw flames coming out of one window at about 7.45pm and called the fire brigade.
“A lot of people are watching from our bar and we’re having a pretty busy night.
“People are treating it like an event.” A spokesman for Merseyside Fire and Rescue said that the blaze was started by “suspected deliberate ignition” but a police investigation was unsuccessful in finding out what happened.
Eyewitness Erhan Yazgan, of Turkish Delight takeaway, said: “Apparently I was the first to see it.
“I phoned up 999 at 8.03pm. I came back from delivery and saw a little light coming out of the window, it was really, really small at first.
“From that it spread to the next window.
“The firemen arrived quickly. “I watched it for about one hour, the smoke was going all around the building, it spread very quickly.”
Erhan added: “The original Kingsway
was very good, I had a lot of good nights out there. It is a shame.
“Kids played in the building although it was derelict. Last Thursday I parked my car in their car park and at about four o’clock I caught four kids going in. I told them not to because it is dangerous but I saw kids going in there all the time.”
Student Hayley Gore said: “I don’t think the building was in that bad a condition.
“I think it is a huge shame that it was ever left empty at all and certainly a shame that it is now gone.
“Obviously a new building might bring new tourism. But it is a crying shame.”
Hannah Boydell said: “It is awful, but thank God no-one was hurt.
“It made me sad hearing and reading about it.
“So many Southport people had a lot of memories there and they just had to stand back and watch as they all burnt away.
“Everyone knew the Kingsway building, young and old, and now it is not there. I am sure so many local people will feel a bit of sadness each time they drive or walk past where it used to stand.”
Michelle Porter said: “I had the best times of my life in there in the ‘80s.
“I had fab times, from midering the doormen to letting us in for free to the whole layout of the place.
“It was a good old fashioned nightclub.
“I remember the dance floor in the middle with tables and chairs around it, waiting for some guy to ask you for the last dance.
“I remember ‘I Will Survive’ by Gloria Gaynor being played a lot, and Lionel Richie.
“A lot of football players used to go there as well, like Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler.
“It was the sort of place you could go in alone and see someone you knew.
“The Kingsway was the place to be seen and everyone went.