Marine Pavilion Afterlife

Marine Pavilion → La Parisienne / the Priz → Bonkers → Onyx

OVERVIEW | LIVE AT THE DOME | BURSTIN CABARET | CLOSURE | FRAGMENTS

Collection of Marine and Leas Pavilion programmes including the Bear — Local archive display, Bear-paper copy: repertory, revue, summer entertainment and one implausibly central Bear programme.

Recorded History

The Marine Pavilion on Marine Parade dated from 1926 and belonged to Folkestone’s inter-war seafront entertainments. It hosted variety shows, plays, dancing and roller skating. In later decades the building became nightclub space: La Parisienne, affectionately shortened to the Priz, and most recently Onyx.

Onyx closed in October 2015. A proposal to demolish the building prompted an application for listing and a public argument between campaigners, who saw the last substantial remnant of the old seafront entertainments, and supporters of redevelopment, who regarded it as dilapidated. The building was subsequently demolished.

PROGRAMMES AND COMPANY COPIES

Starnite Spectacular programme at the Marine Pavilion featuring the Bear — *Starnite Spectacular*, Bear-paper copy. The Bear has been integrated into the red artwork without acquiring a listed turn.

The Bear with the Showtime company — *Showtime* company copy. The Bear has taken the centre position but not the company bow.

The Bear with a cabaret juggling act — Cabaret publicity copy. The juggling equipment is balanced and evidently rehearsed; the Bear’s Hooden Horse prop is neither.

The Nightclub Years

The Bear entered the Pavilion story late, after the summer-show glamour had thinned into guest nights and nightclub promotion. One undated running order gives him six minutes between a drinks offer and a student admission concession. He used eleven.

The Bear ledger groups these appearances under La Parisienne—the Priz— Bonkers and Onyx. During the Priz period he claimed that Rio’s Ice Cream remained “official refreshment” and that Roller Cola entitled him to a dressing room. The surviving sponsor docket promises neither.

A later marginal note describes a transfer “over the road to Burstin” following an altercation at the Pavilion. This became the harbour-hotel cabaret phase: same Bear, smaller noticeboard, more coach parties. See the Burstin cabaret file.

BONKERS / THE PRIZ / ONYX COPIES

Bonkers exterior with Hooden Horse and Bear posters — Bonkers exterior copy. The larger poster advertises the Bear while the smaller wording attempts to make the Horse the special guest.

The Bear on a crowded nightclub stage — Nightclub stage copy, date uncertain. The Bear has reached the microphone and is already signalling for one more.

The Bear performing among a nightclub crowd — Floor appearance during the late nightclub period. The surrounding hands are variously requesting autographs, drinks and the return of the microphone.

The Bear beside a Halloween-decorated nightclub bar — Halloween booking. Management’s decoration has been mistaken for a folklore set.

Two nightclub snapshots with the Bear — Two late snapshots. In neither is the Bear shown leaving when first requested.

Permanent Barring

At Onyx the Bear was variously described as heritage entertainment, a lost-property matter and somebody else’s promotion. The final incident began with an unlisted Widecombe Fair, continued through an encore demanded from the DJ booth and ended at the front door without injury or dignity.

PERMANENTLY BARRED The exclusion covered the stage, dance floor, cloakroom, former Pavilion dressing rooms and any future nightclub trading from the same building. The Bear appealed on the grounds that folklore cannot be permanently barred. The door staff did not accept folklore as identification.

From Revue to Student Night

Phase	House style	Bear file condition
Marine Pavilion	Summer revue, variety, dancing, plays and roller skating.	Full programme; Bear added in pencil.
La Parisienne / the Priz	Seafront nightclub and late entertainment.	Guest spot reduced; sponsor claims enlarged.
Bonkers	Promoted guest nights and Hooden Horse billing.	The Bear appears on both wall poster and incident list.
Onyx	Nightclub and student-night afterlife.	Final permanent barring; CCTV reference only, tape not retained.
After closure	Listing campaign, redevelopment argument and demolition.	The Bear continues to give the former address.