Hi, I have just taken over the Lighthouse (Dellers as was in the 20's)
We are fascinated to know more of its history if anyone knows.
We are opening a cafe on the ground floor!
Mark
I grew up in Paignton, local there for close to 40 years. During in the late 80's, the Dellers building was called the Fiesta Inn, at least for a for a good 15 years (simply known as 'the Fiesta'). It was a combined pub / nightclub. Its decor was white and red. On the ground floor it had a full length bar, long red velvet lined seats and 3 pool tables. The wooden trellises you see on the old Dellers image still existed, they had hanging baskets with replica plastic ivy and floral arrangements suspended from them.
There was access to the balcony at the front for patrons (until people started throwing drinks over onto the terraces below). This balcony was later demolished leaving only one at the side. It used to host local rock bands on the ground floor every weekend, they would perform on a makeshift stage, just behind the left front windows. The large double doors to the far right were an entrance to a small nightclub upstairs, this was open until the early hours. The place used to be absolutely packed, probably violating fire safety regulations. 200 people crammed inside, with queues outside.
Just behind those doors was a large wide staircase which led up to a dance floor, very dimly lit with glitter ball effects and disco lighting, small bar upstairs and tables situated around the floor. I remember this pub always seemed to be in competition with the spinning wheel (further down along the esplanade). It provided a source of employment for many a bar person I went to school with. I used to creep in at 15 years old with my first girlfriend, they never asked for ID and seldom used doormen.
After the decline in popularity of rock music during the mid 90's, they stopped hiring local bands to gig, eventually sold it. New owners modernised it, added an extension, turned it into a sports themed bar (cannot remember the name). It adopted mint green, blue and white decor. It was one of the first establishments to provide satellite TV and cover sports events, although bizarrely they were all from the states. It was odd - stuff like NASCAR racing and American football on multi-screens. They also played MTV on loop, which was all very new for pubs at the time. Giant bowling pins adorned its entrance at one stage, there was American sports memorabilia on the walls (baseball gloves etc). They introduced an entrance fee, that would be right around the time we stopped using it. These were still pre-internet days, just before the economic collapse of the high-street. I personally think that was the 'fiestas' final swan song.
It then swapped ownership yet again and became the lighthouse, sometime during the early 2000's I believe? In the economic climate of 2000, internet access becoming mainstream in homes, anti-smoking laws enforced, revellers habits changed, it did not profit. Personally never stepped foot in it again after the sports transformation. To my knowledge from the 70's onwards, this was always a pub / nightclub. I do not think any locals were any the wiser as to any historical relevance.
