When
shopping at the local Supermarket, my wife and I always include a big bottle
of Vimto, this we have done for most of our fifty two years of married bliss,
not being affluent we could never go to the cost of a Chablis or Claret with
our plate of “Tater-hash”.
I remember when I was a kid, my pals and I used to go on long
walks either to Heaton Park or Daisy Nook on those bright sunny days. (Funny
how we only recall the good weather). We always called into one of the many
Herbalists Shops for a cold refreshing drink. The majority opted for the favourite
thirst quencher ‘Vimto’!
When reaching adolescence and thoughts of the opposite sex
replaced the overwhelming interest in playing football. We started going to
the dance halls. First we had to learn how to take a girl in our arms, and gently
guide her around the floor without tripping her up. The venue for mastering
this particular art, was a barn like establishment in Failsworth called “The
Valley School of Dancing;” the teacher was a lady called Mrs Meadowcroft.
If any lad was more interested in chatting up the girls than learning to dance,
she would give him a clout on the ear and pair him up with a dancing partner
of her choice! Luckily I knew how to block a right hook!
After going dancing, during the winter months, again we would
call into the Herbalists; this time the chosen drink was mainly a Hot Vimto.
In the area where I lived there was The Newton Heath Palaise De Dance; a drink
shop near there was “Joe Halls”. At the Casino Dance Hall (formerly
Joe Taylor’s) we called in Pat Gorman’s drink shop, where there was
a Jukebox with some great records of the day.
So when we sit at the table to have a meal, complemented
with a glass of Vimto. Not only is it a pleasant drink, it is also a strong
link with my past.
Tom Connor
