The sing-songs around the piano of years gone by were replaced with the juke box. This permanently contained predominantly 80’s records because the records rarely got changed. My brother remembered that every time the juke box was switched on it would automatically play ‘Tainted Love’ by Soft Cell. He grew to hate that song.

Another well worn song on the juke box was The Cure’s ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ which was my cousin David’s favourite when we were teenagers. Every time I hear this I am immediately transported to warm evenings in the bar after a happy day at the beach, feeling the warmth on my cheeks, the buzz in the bar, my family altogether, my dad serving drinks having a laugh with the customers, playing on the steps outside with my brother and cousins and any new friends we had made. I was so happy here. 

The first song I ever remember hearing at the Camp was ‘In a Big country’ by the 80’s pop rock band Big Country. It’s totally cheesy but honestly when I hear it – it’s the first song that I remember hearing at the camp – it makes me feel now just as it did then, that a big exciting adventure was beginning – that things were really going to be alright after all. It is sunny, I’m standing in the bar with my dad, my cousins are running around, my grandparents are busy organising the shop, the grown ups are chatting. Everyone is there, I feel safe, and the lights have properly come on again after a year of utter darkness. It still makes me feel just as it did then – pure and radiating happiness…