PUBGOERS took a trip down memory lane as a popular local hostelry held a very special nostalgia afternoon.
The Village Inn in Fairlie gave customers a chance to step back in time with songs from the 1950s right through to the 80s.
The community were encouraged to join in with the event, held to support people with dementia and help stir memories of music from days gone by.
It was organised by Fairlie woman Bonnie McDowell, daughter of Carol who used to own the Village Inn and Mudhook in the 1990s.
Village Inn owner Brian Flanagan said: “It went fantastically well — it was a great turnout with over thirty people.
“It was very much a community driven thing by Bonnie, and well done to her for organising it.
“We had music from The Corries, Dean Martin and Aretha Franklin — Bonnie prepared the music and brought the speakers in and everyone sang along to the songs — even the pub regulars who were swaying along.
“Bonnie did a wee speech explaining the reasons why she was introducing the new session, and we are looking at trying to make it a regular thing on a monthly basis.
“It was very worthwhile and made people happy about themselves, and went on for around an hour and a half.
“We had it in the lounge but because so many people turned up we are going to have it in the back room area the next time as we got a far bigger turnout than we thought we would.”
Bonnie, who is a registered nurse, says music from years gone by can have a very powerful and positive effect for people who have dementia.
She said: “It is a concept from Sally Magnusson’s charity Playlist for Life, and has proved to be very successful.
“I am very grateful to Brian for allowing the Village Inn to host us — he has been a real community hero.
“We started with Morecambe and Wise’s ‘Bring me Sunshine’ to get everyone in the mood.
“Some members of Largs Rock Choir were present, and there were also people from Skelmorlie, West Kilbride and Beith.
“The Village Inn and Mudhook is close to my heart so anything that is supportive and helping to make it a wee hub in the community is very important.
“We called the session ‘Thank-you for the music’ and that is a very important thing as it helps re-connect people not just socially but it gives us all a common denominator.
“Some of the songs sparked lots of memories and revived old stories.
“One of the audience members even remembered being in a stage production of ‘The Sound of Music’ as a nun.
“It also sparked memories of which cinema they went to see the movie.
“These events are about reminiscing, and there is a whole science behind how it works.