It’s nearly thirty years since Blackburn’s legendary Vulcan Hotel shut down.
Situated across from Blackburn College, this pub gave our town’s students a different kind of education. It was called sex and drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. Unfortunately this didn’t go down well with College Management. After years of trying to get the pub closed down, they eventually had their wish granted in the early 1990’s.
Like most Blackburn teenage students, going in here was a must. Plus in the mid-70’s they put on a really good spud pie with peas or gravy at dinnertime. This was enough to convert me to the Vulcan, along with their jukebox and the great atmosphere which pervaded throughout the pub, both upstairs and downstairs.
When you think of this pub, you think of long hair, leather jackets, motorbikes, weed and glass fights in the back room. But it was also full of characters who went on to enrich Blackburn’s folklore. Remember when Viking Billy’s mum won Spot the Ball, or the pools, and him throwing cigars all over the pub? Or thinking you were in the fairground hall of mirrors when you saw the Gardiner brothers. No they were big lads, as a bunch of Burnley fans were to find out. They decided to take a detour to Ewood Park when they saw them stood outside the Vulcan.
After the pub shut down it became a subject of great nostalgia to many of its former patrons. This has spawned reunions and a very funny Facebook page called ‘I Drank In The Vulcan In Blackburn’. Created in 2008, this brings together some of the old Vulcan stalwarts and shares news and views, along with featuring records which used to be played on the pub’s memorable jukebox. One of the highlights of this Facebook page has been its use as a vehicle for helping organise these Vulcan reunions. They have previously taken place at the Havelock and Mill Hill pubs.
On March 14th there was a Vulcan reunion with a difference. It was held in Blackburn town centre in two pubs next door to each other, a joint venture between the Drummer’s Arms and Rock Box. This turned out be a really good event and brought about a big turnout. I popped in the Drummers on the afternoon of this event. After meeting up with Brian Rossall, an old Vulcaneer, we went back and forth a few times between the Drummers and the Rock Box that day.
Despite the sands of time having given most of us a good scouring, there were still a lot of familiar faces from those good old days of Blackburn’s legendary Vulcan. Many old friends met up and a good time was had by all. The great news is this event went down so well, we can expect another reunion to take place next year in the Drummer’s Arms and Rock Box.
