The Douglas Bay Hotel with its Texas Bar was the meeting point for the oil barons, riders, sponsors and fans. I spent a lot of time there during the 60s and 70s and stayed there for two TT periods. When I was there the Carters and Haslams stayed as well. I remember thinking that I was hearing someone trimming the hedge one time. I went for a walk and found Ron Haslam "playing" with a radio controlled helicopter, which he was controlling very well. We chatted for a while until the fuel ran out !!
Bob Cox the rep for Renolds Chains took over one of the garages at the hotel and fitted race chains to everyone under contract. He and I set up a good results service - I borrowed a blackboard from the hotel and erected it at the entrance of Bobs Garage. Then each time I was in the press office I picked up an extra set of printed results which I took down to Bobs and we drawing-pinned them to the blackboard. The word spread and we had lots of riders and their teams coming to see their times.
We all propped up the bar day-time and night-time --, the Dugdales, the Madsen-Mygdals, the media reps and the reps of anything to do with the TT.
A MENU FROM THE TIME
THE HOTEL ENTRANCE AND REGULAR RESIDENT BILL SMITH
THE HOTEL AS IT WAS WHEN WE STAYED AND USED THE TEXAS BAR
AERIAL VIEW FROM AEROPLANE
A POSTCARD FROM THE ERA WITH THANKS TO NEIL HARRISON IOM SITE
A MENU FROM THE TIME
