Bob
grew up on his
family’s farm in
Mytchett, near Camberley.
They also had a haulage
business and, during the
Second World War, Bob
drove the firm’s
lorries that had been
commandeered by the army.
By
this time, he was playing
drums in a dance band
that had plenty of
bookings at military
camps. He returned to
work on the farm and for
its transport business
and had also become busy
with music activities. He
soon had three bands on
the road – The Bob
Potter Band, The Rhythm
Aces and The Aldershot
Aces.
Bob
set up a pool of
musicians and was able to
take on any type of
booking. He and his bands
played throughout the UK
and in Europe.
He then moved into
running music venues, his
first being the then
popular Aldershot dance
hall the Palais de Dance.
This was followed by the
Agincourt Ballroom in
London Road, Camberley,
and then the Atalanta.
Bob
continued to play in
bands and, during a
concert at the Atalanta,
its caretaker told him
she had heard he was
looking for a new
pianist.
She suggested Bob gave
her son – who had
been playing with the RAF
dance band the
Squadronaires – a
try. Bob agreed and had
discovered Les Reed, the
Woking-born acclaimed
songwriter, arranger,
musician and light
orchestra leader.
By
the early 1960s, the
dance band era was on the
way out, replaced by rock
’n’ roll and
then pop music, and a new
generation of musicians
were on the scene.
A young Welsh singer
called Tom Jones went to
Bob’s recording
studio in Mytchett to
audition and it was
fortunate that Les Reed
was there to hear him
sing.
Les’s song It’s
Not Unusual, co-written
with Gordon Mills, was
offered to Tom. He
recorded the number and
it topped the “hit
parade” in 1965.
With the song riding high
in the charts, Bob paid
Tom £100 – a
handsome sum at the time
– to appear at the
Atalanta and pack it full
of pop music fans.
Bob staged all-nighters
at the Atalanta on
Saturdays, when the music
continued until 5am.
There were live band
concerts and dancing
every day of the week,
with popular bingo
sessions filling in any
gaps.
The Atalanta Ballroom was
established in two of
buildings, one of which
was a former church. Its
days ended when it was
demolished at the start
of the the Woking town
centre redevelopment of
the early 1970s.
Bob
Potter turned his
attention to buying the
Wharfden Estate at
Frimley Green, where he
created the Lakeside
Country Club in 1972.
The club, which was soon
hosting top acts, was
destroyed by a fire in
1974. Bob rebuilt it and
welcomed show business
stars from around the
world and members of the
Royal Family to a venue
that can seat more than
1,000 people.
Lakeside is best known
for hosting the Darts
World Championships from
1986 to 2019 and then
again from 2022. Bob was
made an OBE in 1993 for
his role in helping
develop British and world
darts.
|
