Brighton at the end of the war was an exciting place to be. There was the SS Brighton Ice Rink, and of course the Regent dance hall with Syd Dean and his orchestra.
The main attraction for me was the Ice Hockey at SS Brighton, and my hero was Bobby Lee, the wizard on skates.
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Bobby Lee became the landlord of the Mile Oak Inn in the mid 1950’s.
Yes Barrie you are quite right about that I also think that another leading player from a later period Gib Hutchinson was also a landlord. I think it was the Lamb & Flag just off West Street near the Clock Tower.
Bobby Gib, John Oxley, all at one time ran the Boatman’s pub in Little Russell Steet which was the road behind the ice rink. I went to school in that road, St Pauls.
I remember it quite well Garry. I was a trainee carpenter undertaking the finishing internal woodwork, up until the pub opened. Bobby Lee and his wife used to visit the site in preparation for taking over as landlord. I also worked on the Neville Public House in Hove. My father being the site manager. Another sports personality became landlord of the Neville but I can’t remember his name.
I remember Bobby and Lorne Trottier playing badminton on ice at the interval of the ice show. It was quite unbelievable and possibly the greatest sporting recollection of my life. I have been to Ashes tests; the World Cup final and numerous European cup fixtures but nothing could surpass the speed, elegance and just the charismatic ability that exuded from their presence. Bobby Lee coined the phrase by his presence – the expression SUPERSTAR. A genius who was loved and admired by all that met him.
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