Chirton Social Club, North Shields
The Chirton Social Club in North Shields continues to be an integral part of its local community and has recently launched a new bingo innovation – the 'Double Flyer' – that rival venues are scrambling to copy. We talked to Club Secretary Emma Patterson about how the club is faring.
In an era when many working men's clubs are fighting hard to maintain their place at the heart of their communities, one North Shields institution is achieving that aim through sheer ingenuity, relentless energy and a bingo idea so good that other local clubs and pubs have been queuing up to pinch it.
Chirton Social Club, on the outskirts of North Shields town centre, has long been a central pillar of the local social scene and the club is currently experiencing something of a renaissance thanks to its excellent Committee and staff. New Secretary Emma Patterson has recently taken over the role from her father John and shares his determination to try new things as well as fulfil the club's deep-rooted commitment to the local community.
At the heart of this continuing success is the 'Double Flyer' – a bingo innovation that Emma devised one Thursday afternoon. "I came up with it when I was sitting outside a Costa Coffee," says Club Secretary Emma Patterson. "I just thought, well, it'll be sort of something different, and I hadn't seen it done before."
The concept is brilliantly simple. Players buy a flyer (50p a ticket, or £3 for a book of six) and pay an extra £1 to have it stamped on the back. That pound goes into a jackpot known as the 'Double Bubble'. If a player calls a full house and has paid for the stamp, they win the normal house payout plus the jackpot – but only if they win on a double number (11, 22, 33, 44, 55, 66, 77 and 88).
"I went with the double numbers as opposed to any others as there are only eight of them," Emma explains. "When you start the bingo game, the room is silent and then you hear the 'oohs' and 'aahs' as the doubles come out. It's just really, really good fun and our members say that it really enhances our bingo sessions." She adds: "Whenever someone wins on the double, they always get a round of applause and a cheer from around the room."
So successful has the Double Flyer proven that other local venues have quickly followed suit. A nearby rival was among the first to adopt it. Emma laughs: "They kept coming in as I launched it, and I thought they're gonna pinch this. Then sure enough, the next day their Secretary got in touch with us to say they were going to follow suit!"
Now, many pubs in the local area have also started running their own versions. "Everyone around here seems to be doing the Double Flyer," Emma says with a mix of pride and amusement.
"We may have to put a big sign which says: "The Chirton Club – original home of the Double Flyer'! Emma hopes that by sharing the Double Flyer idea in Club Journal, other clubs across the country might adopt it too.
Chirton Club is far from a one-trick pony though and alongside the bingo which takes place five times a week – Friday night, Saturday night, Sunday afternoon, Monday night, and Wednesday afternoon – there are many reasons to come and enjoy a night in the club.
"Crowd Karaoke is always popular– I go around with a microphone and get everyone singing," says Emma. Saturday nights feature live singers in the Concert Room, while Sundays see karaoke in the lounge twice a month. Midweek brings competitive sport with the club boasting an impressive six darts teams, two pool teams, and a snooker team.
Wednesday bingo is a more laid-back affair. "We do Play Your Cards Right and offer some novelty prizes, like a coconut or a pineapple," Emma explains. "We also run 'Bastard Bingo' on a Wednesday. Everyone who wants to play buys a ticket and then stands up. If the number on your ticket comes out, you have to sit down and shout 'Bastard' – and then you're out! And another nice thing we do is that when a certain song comes on during the karaoke night, if you can get to the bar before it ends, you can get a Jägerbomb for a discounted price. The song lasts two minutes and 21 seconds so there's always a rush to the bar when they hear the song intro. We really try and make sure that the club is a fun environment so that members really look forward to coming down and having a drink with their friends."
The club's commitment to the local community underpins everything they do, including holding regular events for the old people's home across the road. The club also has its own lending library and a jigsaw exchange. "I got into jigsaws during lockdown and had a load of them at home," says Emma.
"So, I brought them into the club when it reopened and it really took off with members taking them home, completing them and then bringing them back for someone else to borrow. Lots of people started bringing their own jigsaws in to lend out and it has really taken off. It's a constant merry-go-round of them coming in and going back out. It's been brilliant."
The club is also a leading member of the local Pub Watch scheme, with Emma taking on the administration duties for the group which works to ensure that all the town's licensed premises are safe environments for members and customers. The club's community role was further recognised when it secured a government grant through North Tyneside Council, enabling new signage on the front of the club.
"We're absolutely delighted to have been awarded the grant which was part of a scheme to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the founding of North Shields," says Emma.
"It was hard work to complete the application but we clearly demonstrated our value to the local community and now have a smart new sign. We have also just resurfaced the car park at the front of the club so the club looks great."
Chirton Club's strength lies not only in its innovative secretary but also in its experienced Committee. Emma herself has been at the club for over 12 years, having started as Stewardess before being voted in as Secretary when her father, John Patterson, retired. Meanwhile, Club Chairman Ken Herron is closing in on his 50-year Distinguished Service Award.
"We've got a few people on the Committee who've served the club for several decades, so it's fantastic to be able to tap into that experience and ask for advice when you need it," says Emma.
"We've got a really good mix of men and women on the Committee, while our youngest Committee Member, Megan Herron – who is the granddaughter of our Chairman – is just 22 and helps to bring a more youthful insight into meetings when we are planning activities and events. It's a proper family sort of place. Everyone's grown up here and we all love the club and want to make sure that it continues to flourish and contribute to local life. I'm just continuing the excellent work carried out by my dad over so many years."
To underline the strong family ethos of the club, there is a third Patterson heavily involved with the club – Emma's daughter Amy – who works behind the bar.
Emma is under no illusion about the challenges facing clubs today.
"Gone are the days where CIU clubs could offer drinks at a lower price point than pubs," she says.
"Now it's the other way around – pubs are generally part of a big chain and can get bulk deals across all their venues. But clubs offer something different and we're finding that people of all ages really enjoy coming in and taking part in the various activities we offer. Initially some young people can be wary about coming into a members' club that they're not familiar with but they soon realise that there is something for everyone and that we offer a really welcoming environment.
"You'll get groups of people coming into the club at different times – maybe having a couple of drinks with us before heading off to another venue. We also have pigeon racing and leek growing sections at the club who meet regularly and hold events at specific times of the year. Each year during the summer, there is a competitive Leek Show and we have also held pigeon auctions here."
As you might expect given that the club is situated in the football-mad North East, live sport is a big draw for the club.
"Obviously the majority of our members are Newcastle United fans so we show all their games on Sky Sports. We have quite a few season ticket holders at the club so they will come in for a drink before heading to St James's Park. There were some fantastic midweek match nights last season as Newcastle were in the Champions League but sadly they are not competing in Europe this season. We also had some busy nights during the recent World Cup with everyone getting behind the England team. In addition, many members are into racing and enjoy watching the action during the week and at weekends."
Charity is another important part of club life and regular fundraising events are held at the club in aid of the Newcastle-based Charlie Bear Cancer Appeal. The club has also installed a defibrillator and runs familiarisation sessions for local people who want to learn how to use the equipment.
With a packed calendar, a committed Committee, and a bingo innovation that's taking Tyneside by storm, Chirton Social Club is a shining example of how modern social clubs can thrive by embracing new ideas while staying true to their community roots.
The last word goes to Emma Patterson, official originator of the Double Flyer: "As a Committee, we're always working hard to innovate and come up with more reasons for members to come in and have a great time in the club."
