Club Franchi, opened by Umberto Franchi and his brother, had a brief, but glorious run providing glitz and glamour previously unknown to a town that had suffered more than its fair share of hardships although, at this point in time, the various industries were providing work-a-plenty which inspired the Franchi's venture.
Dining, dancing, late night drinking and gambling - along with top class entertainment - Franchi's had it all. Dusty Springfield, Tommy Cooper, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Ronnie Hilton, Sandie Shaw were just some of the acts. Nor were they names whose stars were waning but, by and large, were still shining brightly.
However, for me, the attraction was the band led by tenor saxist Armando Ferri. Although, it wasn't a jazz club, when the solo gates where opened and Ferri let fly you knew that he was something special.
When the club finally closed due to the breathalyser and new gambling restrictions the town lost a major asset.
Which brings me back to Armando Ferri. Can anyone tell me more about a man who was a very fine tenor player? Lance
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