Celebrating Barnsley’s Night Life, November 1998
This selection of photographs was commissioned by Arts Development Officer Graham Riding from Barnsley’s Libraries and Cultural Services Department. The exhibition was funded from the Single Regeneration Budget a Vision for Youth Arts programme. The resulting exhibition of large scale prints was held at Building 21, Elsecar, South Yorkshire during December 1998.
The motivation behind these photographs was to celebrate and record the exuberant energy, vigour and zest for life of the town’s young people during that brief, wonderful, carefree time in their lives, before the inevitable weight of work, family and responsibility, takes its toll.
Many thanks to all the young people I photographed in the towns pubs and night clubs during those cold and damp November nights in 1998.
[B01] Sally and Sally both aged 15, pass the Town Hall’s Christmas tree. They are on their way to ‘Dance Night’ for 14-17 year olds at Regents Park Nightclub, it is also known as ‘pop ‘n’ crisps nite’ as no alcohol is served.
7.15pm Monday 23rd November.
[B02] Sally and Sally stop at the War Memorial.
7.20pm Monday 23rd November.
[B03] Over 500 excited girls queue outside Regents Park Night Club for ‘Dance Night’. The boys and girls queue separately and enter through different doors. Water vapour from the girls appears as a mist above them.
7.30pm Monday 23rd November.
[B04] All 500 plus entrants to Regent Park Night Club, are obliged to take a ‘sobriety’ test before entering the club. Door staff security smell for any evidence of alcohol or cigarettes on their breath, if any is detected admission is refused.
[B05] Girls pay £3.50 at the pay desk for ‘Dance Night’ at Regents Park Night Club.
7.45pm Monday 23rd November.
[B06] 14-17 year olds dance the night away (until 10.00pm) at Regents Park Night Club.
9.05pm Monday 23rd November.
[B07] The smoke machine is switched on. Regents Park Night Club.
9.35pm Monday 23rd November.
[B08] Revellers pose for a photograph. Regents Park Night Club.
9.45pm Monday 23rd November.
[B09] Couple at ‘Dance Night’. Regent Park Night Club.
9.30pm Monday 23rd November.
[B10] The dance floor. Regents Park Night Club.
9.50pm Monday 23rd November.
[B11] I had noticed these girls had ‘flashing’ their breasts towards the newly installed city centre CCTV camera’s. When asked why, they said it was to cheer up the camera operator, who in turn would ‘nod’ the camera in appreciation. 10.05pm Thursday 19th November.
By 2024 both girls had independently contacted me insisting I obscure their image from the photograph. It would seem that their once youthful exuberance and ‘joie de vivre’ had indeed been overtaken by the sensibilities of adult life.
[B12] Girls inside Yates Wine Lodge. 10.45pm Thursday 19th November.
[B13] Vicky and Kerry both 18, outside the Fealty and Firkin pub, opposite the Town Hall.
10.05pm Thursday 12th November.
[B14] Door security staff at Regents Park Night Club toast the evening with cans of Red Bull. They are hoping for an uneventful night.
10.00pm Friday 13th November.
[B15] Lindsey, singer with the band ‘Eton Rifles’, ‘pogo’s’ at the rear of Yates’s Wine Lodge.
10.35pm Thursday 19th November. #1
[B16] Lindsey ‘pogo’s’. #2
[B17] Amelia waits for a taxi home outside Regents Park Night Club.
1.20am Saturday 13th November.
[B18] Senior door security at Regents Park Night Club hold a young man after a random drugs search turns up a suspected single ecstasy tablet. He is held until the police arrive.
1.05am Saturday13th November.
[B19] Young man ejected from Regents Park Night Club for being drunk and causing a nuisance.
10.25pm Thursday12th November.
[B20] ‘Beefy’. at Pharaoh’s Night Club.
10.30pm Saturday 21st November.
[B21] These young men have been ejected from Regents Park Nightclub for being drunk and causing a disturbance. They are angry because taxi’s will not stop and pick them up, and I will not give them a lift home.
12.25am Saturday 14th November. #1
[B22] #2
[B23] Rob and Rob. Rob has collided with a ‘turn left only’ sign while drunk. He quickly recovered and made his way home safely.
12.45am Saturday 14th November.
[B24] Ruth and Rachel on their way home.
11.40am Friday 12th November.
[B25] Johnny and Stacy, both aged 18 at Club Hedonism.
11.40pm Saturday 21st November.
[B26] Darren and Stacy, both aged 18 at Club Hedonism.
2.00am Sunday 22nd November.
[B27] Bev aged 19 waits for her friend. Club Hedonism.
11.45pm Saturday 21st November.
[B28] Emma and Amy eat ‘chip butties’ before making their way home.
1am Friday 12th November.
[B01] Sally and Sally both aged 15, pass the Town Hall’s Christmas tree. They are on their way to ‘Dance Night’ for 14-17 year olds at Regents Park Nightclub, it is also known as ‘pop ‘n’ crisps nite’ as no alcohol is served.
7.15pm Monday 23rd November.
[B02] Sally and Sally stop at the War Memorial.
7.20pm Monday 23rd November.
[B03] Over 500 excited girls queue outside Regents Park Night Club for ‘Dance Night’. The boys and girls queue separately and enter through different doors. Water vapour from the girls appears as a mist above them.
7.30pm Monday 23rd November.
[B04] All 500 plus entrants to Regent Park Night Club, are obliged to take a ‘sobriety’ test before entering the club. Door staff security smell for any evidence of alcohol or cigarettes on their breath, if any is detected admission is refused.
[B05] Girls pay £3.50 at the pay desk for ‘Dance Night’ at Regents Park Night Club.
7.45pm Monday 23rd November.
[B06] 14-17 year olds dance the night away (until 10.00pm) at Regents Park Night Club.
9.05pm Monday 23rd November.
[B07] The smoke machine is switched on. Regents Park Night Club.
9.35pm Monday 23rd November.
[B08] Revellers pose for a photograph. Regents Park Night Club.
9.45pm Monday 23rd November.
[B09] Couple at ‘Dance Night’. Regent Park Night Club.
9.30pm Monday 23rd November.
[B10] The dance floor. Regents Park Night Club.
9.50pm Monday 23rd November.
[B11] I had noticed these girls had ‘flashing’ their breasts towards the newly installed city centre CCTV camera’s. When asked why, they said it was to cheer up the camera operator, who in turn would ‘nod’ the camera in appreciation. 10.05pm Thursday 19th November.
By 2024 both girls had independently contacted me insisting I obscure their image from the photograph. It would seem that their once youthful exuberance and ‘joie de vivre’ had indeed been overtaken by the sensibilities of adult life.
[B12] Girls inside Yates Wine Lodge. 10.45pm Thursday 19th November.
[B13] Vicky and Kerry both 18, outside the Fealty and Firkin pub, opposite the Town Hall.
10.05pm Thursday 12th November.
[B14] Door security staff at Regents Park Night Club toast the evening with cans of Red Bull. They are hoping for an uneventful night.
10.00pm Friday 13th November.
[B15] Lindsey, singer with the band ‘Eton Rifles’, ‘pogo’s’ at the rear of Yates’s Wine Lodge.
10.35pm Thursday 19th November. #1
[B16] Lindsey ‘pogo’s’. #2
[B17] Amelia waits for a taxi home outside Regents Park Night Club.
1.20am Saturday 13th November.
[B18] Senior door security at Regents Park Night Club hold a young man after a random drugs search turns up a suspected single ecstasy tablet. He is held until the police arrive.
1.05am Saturday13th November.
[B19] Young man ejected from Regents Park Night Club for being drunk and causing a nuisance.
10.25pm Thursday12th November.
[B20] ‘Beefy’. at Pharaoh’s Night Club.
10.30pm Saturday 21st November.
[B21] These young men have been ejected from Regents Park Nightclub for being drunk and causing a disturbance. They are angry because taxi’s will not stop and pick them up, and I will not give them a lift home.
12.25am Saturday 14th November. #1
[B22] #2
[B23] Rob and Rob. Rob has collided with a ‘turn left only’ sign while drunk. He quickly recovered and made his way home safely.
12.45am Saturday 14th November.
[B24] Ruth and Rachel on their way home.
11.40am Friday 12th November.
[B25] Johnny and Stacy, both aged 18 at Club Hedonism.
11.40pm Saturday 21st November.
[B26] Darren and Stacy, both aged 18 at Club Hedonism.
2.00am Sunday 22nd November.
[B27] Bev aged 19 waits for her friend. Club Hedonism.
11.45pm Saturday 21st November.
[B28] Emma and Amy eat ‘chip butties’ before making their way home.
1am Friday 12th November.
All images are Strictly Copyright © 2020 Bill Stephenson All Rights Reserved