05/05/2026
People often ask 'how is it that two people from Barnsley and two from Bridlington are running an event at The Floral Hall in Hornsea?' This question was asked again on Friday night so maybe it is time for a 'Back Story' as it is called.
First of all a bit of history. John began his DJing in his teens at a Youth club as did many others on the scene. When the Youth Club closed down because it had outgrown its premises, John and Joyce and another couple took their equipment and records out on the road as a mobile disco playing at Youth Clubs, school discos, dinner dances, parties of every kind, wedding receptions and basically anywhere they were invited. Eventually marriage, work and children meant all this stopped and the records were put away, equipment sold and life kicked in.
Fast forward to 2008, family growing up and John was invited to be a warm up DJ near Nottingham by someone we met at a Skegness Weekender. His records saw the light of day again and from then on he had a number of residencies and guest spots across Yorkshire and North Notts.
Kai had a stint as a Night Club DJ at one point and was also the singer with a band. He was technically minded, still is, and knew how to set up anything electrical and loved all kinds of music in particular Northern Soul and Motown and Ska.
The four of us met by chance when Gayle and Kai decided that the venue which they had gone to wasn't up to much and looked on Soul Source as to what else was on in the area. As luck would have it they arrived at a venue where John was Resident DJ. We started to chat, found out that they were from Bridlington and asked why, when there was an annual Northern Soul and Motown Weekender, wasn't there a Soul Club in Bridlington? By this time Joyce and John had a static caravan in Bridlington and were well into the Northern soul scene.
We decided that a Soul Club needed to be started and as Gayle and Kai lived there they did the searching for a suitable venue. Fortunately a friend of theirs had contact with Bridlington Rugby Club and we were able to use their Allinson Room. The first Brid Soul Night was on Friday 18th August 2017 and people were invited for some Seaside Soul, a phrase coined by Joyce and John's daughter who helped design the first poster depicting the seashore at South Bay. The promoter was Tim Castle with Resident DJ Kai Rivers and Guest DJs John Hodgson, Mark Harrington and Mark Taylor. Joyce did the publicity doing fliers and posters and sending copy to the local newspapers and Gayle helped out on the door. That first night attracted over 100 soulies and Brid Soul Club were able to donate £135 after expenses, to the Junior Rugby Club.
Mean while Gayle was working in Hornsea and soon people were asking her about setting up a soul night in Hornsea. She approached Floral Hall who at first were reluctant to have one following the failure of a previous soul night but eventually she persuaded them that we had experience and could make a go of it.
As the name Seaside Soul was our invention we took it with us and became Seaside Soul at The Floral Hall. Brid Soul Club continued to run at the Rugby Club alongside Floral Hall with John being one of the Resident DJs alongside Kai for a while but eventually Seaside Soul at the Floral Hall was taking up a lot of our time so we pulled out of Brid Soul Club leaving it in the hands of the promoter.
Our First night at Floral Hall was on Friday 2nd February 2018 when we had over 200 people with Guest DJ Richard Cryer from Drax and John and Kai as Resident DJs. We thought that this might work and advertised another night for 3rd March 2018 with Guest DJ JInxy from Scarborough but the Beast From The East made its presence felt and we had only 45 brave people through the door. We could have given up then but we didn't and as they say 'The Rest is History' and we are still here and going strong in 2026.
Even Covid 19 could not defeat us and after 16 months without any nights we came back with a blast on 7th August 2021 with Guest DJ Don McBlade from Sheffield and Soul Singer Lou Lou and had 127 people through the door with tables suitably spaced apart.
In 2026 we are still the same team, Kai is one of the Resident DJs and our technical expert, John is the other Resident DJ, Gayle is the Organiser who liaises with the Floral Hall Directors and Management and takes money at the door and Joyce does the publicity and runs the page as well as putting on wrist bands.
We have raised a good amount of money for our chosen charities over the years, The Children's Air Ambulance and Hornsea Inshore Rescue Boat being our main two with smaller donations to other charities. Some of the money has come from specific Fund Raising Nights but the majority is from our door takings after we have paid our Guest DJs and other necessary expenses as we have always been a not for profit soul night and will continue to be so. We do it because of our love for the music and our desire to share it with other like minded people who we have dubbed our Seaside Soulers.
Without the people who turn up regularly every month despite what the weather throws at them or how far they have to travel, we would not be the success that we are. Thank You everyone.
