Skateparks & Halfpipes

Early Days

The few places we had to skate back in the day including the Six Hills half pipe, Cherry Willingham fibre glass tub, Beeston half pipe, Market Harborough and Kettering.

Preceeding the above places was Nottingham's only 1970's skatepark curiously called Malibu Dog Bowl was built in a disused cinema at Priory island, Lenton in 1978. We had waited a long time for a skate park drooling over the US parks in Skateboarder! magazine so we were ready, and this one was going to stick two fingers up at the crappy British weather as it was indoors. Unfortunately what we got after a years frustration was a badly designed and executed lump of concrete, lump being the operative word! It was short lived despite doubling up as a venue for bands like Lene Lovich, The Jam and other new wave acts. Nevermind, all good fun!

Thanks to Rob Varney and Ken Prest for contributing some of the Six Hills and East Leake pipe shots. The orginal Six Hills half pipe was built circa 85/86, the photos here show it's rebuild to 16' wide a couple of years later before it being moved to first East Leake in 1988 and then Beeston some time after. If you recognise any of your photos here please get in touch and I'll give you a photo credit! I'm still looking for more shots of Wanlip and Malibu Dogbowl...