THE BANK holiday had a bit of soul in Keighley thanks to veteran music fans.

Organisers of the town’s bi-monthly Central Soul night gave regulars a chance to spin the discs during a special event at the New Variety Club.

They were able to take turns as DJs playing their own precious vinyl discs of classic soul and Motown tracks.

The event was dedicated to Keighley man Stephen Rogerson, one of the Central Soul regulars, who recently died of Manorlands.

David Shackleton, one of the organisers, said more than 200 people attended the Russell Street venue.

He said: “We had six DJs from surrounding areas including Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and Lancashire. It was still busy at closing time.

“People said what a good idea it was to stage an event like this as the bank holidays are limited with entertainment in Keighley.

“We are doing the same on the Bank Holiday Sunday on August 28. We are also planning bigger things at our main venue, Central Hall.”

Soul music fans from across the north of England flocked to the Central Soul sessions held every two months, including July, at Central Hall in Alice Street, Keighley.

The event was restarted earlier this year and attracted enthusiasts from as far with Newcastle, as well as across Lancashire and Yorkshire.

Mr Shackleton said: “We are doing the events bi-monthly to keep them fresh. We only play the original records from the 60s and 70s.

“A lot of these rare 45s were substantially bootlegged and re-issued to meet demand back in the 1970s when the Wigan Casino was at its peak.”

E-mail soulshack@blueyonder.co.uk or call 01535.210507 or.612500 to find out the dates of the next Central Soul events.