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An early interior shot of Derby's Palais de Danse

Today Derby city centre on a Saturday night is a busy place. New bars and restaurants, the mainstay of nights out, seem to be opening all the time.

A look at the entertainment adverts placed in the Derby Evening Telegraph in every decade over the last 100 years provides an insight into just how a Saturday night “out on the town” has changed.

Before 1930, the Telegraph was known as the Derby Daily Telegraph and, on July 6, 1907, adverts for entertainment were a bit thin on the ground.

The Grand Theatre was the only taker; the lion’s share of column space being taken up by religious services and lectures.

The theatre offered a variety of acts at that time, including Fred Cary, the droll comedian, Walton and Lester in The World’s Worst Wizards and Marlow, the equilibrist juggler.

Things had improved somewhat by July 7, 1917. The front page of the Telegraph had adverts for stage plays and concerts, such as The Millionaire and The Woman at the Palace.

By this time, the first purpose-built cinemas were beginning to spring up around the town. The Cosy, on London Road, for example, was showing The Lure of the Eukon.

By July 9, 1927, the cinemas had taken over the bulk of column inches in the entertainment adverts section of the newspaper.

The Empire Cinema was showing The Better Way, “...a powerful dramatic presentation of one of the big moral problems of the present day”.

The Palais de Danse, which was formally the Corn Exchange, offered an alternative to going to the cinema with “popular dancing” from 8pm until midnight on Saturdays.

On July 10, 1937, the Telegraph’s local amusement guide on page four had a profusion of adverts for cinemas.

The Gaumont was showing a Mickey Mouse cartoon and George Formby in Feather Your Nest.

The Grand Theatre was still operating and was advertising a local talent finding competition.

Interestingly, there was a separate listing for whist drives and dances. The Babington Cafe had a whist drive every Saturday at 7.30pm. At the Drill Hall, Regatta Dance offered non-stop dancing with “special lighting effects” and a licensed buffet.

Central Hall had a “select and sociable flannel dance with the New Mayfair Band”.

On Saturday, July 5, 1947, the majority of adverts were still for cinemas.

The first pictures were beginning to appear alongside adverts for specific films and some movies were in “thrilling Technicolor”.

The alternatives to a night at the cinema were the Plaza, Ritz and Rialto ballrooms. The Plaza had Smilin’ Johnny Smith and his Out of the Blue Orchestra.

The Grand Theatre was still advertising, with family favourite Primo Scala and his famous accordion band on stage.

A decade later, on July 6, 1957, the entertainment adverts page was a little plainer than in the previous decade.

The cinema adverts were all uniform and without pictures. Presumably to bring in more custom, some of them advertised as a theatre and restaurant like the Gaumont or as a cinema and cafe.

Stage play theatres had made a comeback on the page with the Playhouse, the Theatre Royal and the Empire Theatre all advertising.

At the Theatre Royal were Harry Hanson’s Court Players in Honeymoon Beds, the title for a saucy farce if ever there was one.

Dancing was still on the menu. The Assembly Rooms was calling itself “Derby’s social rendezvous”.

While the Albert Ballrooms invited dancers to “join our happy and friendly crowd” with the added promise that “this is your night”.

On July 8, 1967, the Telegraph contained a section entitled, Entertainments, Whist Drives, Dances, Etc.

By this year, the number of town centre cinemas advertising had slimmed down to the Odeon and the ABC.

The Grand Theatre had become the Locarno and invited dancers to its “Palais Night”.

The Albion Restaurant was the place to go for a buffet, dance and cabaret, with ITV and Columbia recording star Marian Angel appearing.

Interestingly, several Nottingham film theatres had placed adverts.

By 1977, things had changed. In the July 9 edition of the Telegraph, the cinemas were eclipsed by adverts for different kinds of entertainment. The Grand Club Casino had roulette and blackjack along with a licensed bar and coffee lounge.

Ramsden’s Tavern was listed under entertainments and was offering prime rump steak at £2.40, “served with French fried potatoes, button mushrooms, tomato, roll and butter” and, of course, a sweet to follow.

Discotheques were now being advertised. Tiffanys, for example, was holding a “Babycham Diamond Rush Night”. Giveaways included T-shirts, silver pendants and packs of Babycham.

There was also a chance to win a £10,000 diamond ring.

Dancing to up-to-date records could also be enjoyed at Sadie’s Discotheque from 8.30pm until 2am.

In 1987, the Telegraph had a What’s On and Where guide. On Saturday, July 11, ideas for an evening’s entertainment in the city centre were a bit thin on the ground.

There was an advert for films showing at the Trocadero Centre, formerly the Odeon, and the Assembly Rooms was also showing a film.

All the action seems to have been taking place at the Blue Note Club, on Sadler Gate, which was having a Copacabana beach party. Ladies could get half price admission if they were wearing their fancy beach shorts.

The What’s On guide for July 5, 1997, rather than containing advertisements, was a listing of venues for gigs, clubs, karaoke, discos and stage productions.

The Rolls-Royce Operatic Society were performing Me and My Girl at Derby Playhouse.

At the Guildhall, Derby Dance Development was, rather puzzlingly, presenting “dance Derby-style”.

The majority of entertainments listed were for clubs and disco nights.

Looking through the entertainments adverts section of the Telegraph in every decade over the last 100 years has given an interesting glimpse into the changing nature of a Saturday night out in Derby.

If you want to research aspects of life in Derby, then the Local Studies Library, on Iron Gate, houses a large newspaper collection held on microfilm.

• Do you have any memories of Saturday nights out in Derby at any of the places mentioned in this article? If so, you can write about them on You&Yesterday. Create an account, which is free to do, to register as a user and share your experiences.

• Derbyshire Pubs - Your Stories Wanted!

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