Noel McAteer has retired after working at the Palace Hotel since 1969. Reporter Jess Ward spoke to Noel about his time working through the ages.

With a big smile on his face, Noel McAteer gave a cheery welcome as he guided me inside the brightly lit Palace Casino - a place that had become like a second home to the recent retiree.

At the tender age of 16, Noel took on the role of night porter at the Palace Hotel in 1969 when he moved from Newry, Northern Ireland, to the island where his brother was living.

The 65-year-old, who retired as the slots manager at the Palace casino on December 29, remembers being struck by the grandeur of the place and its popularity.

’The Palace was the hub of all the island, as it was way ahead of its time,’ he said. ’There was the Palace Lido to form the ballroom that was later turned into the biggest disco in all of Europe.

’Every Sunday night we had Top of the Pops, with big bands like Hot Chocolate and Slade come over and perform.

’The Bee Gees once moved into the hotel using what is now the office. It was all hush, hush at the time, but they were coming up with the kind of music that we’re still dancing to nowadays.

’There was a Hawaiian bar and the famous round bar that would get so popular we had to open the curtains that led out into the patio.

’Lobster thermidor was served in the restaurant "Grill in the Room" and anybody, who was somebody, went there.’

Noel added that space where the bingo and casino are today, was once filled with shops, cafes and a bank.

’In 1979 the new "Millennium Suite" was built for the Manx millennium when Sir Dudley Cunliffe-Owen bought the building.

’During that time, we had power boat racing all around the island where people would come over and stay in the hotel. We’d have shows that began from 7pm and had a DJ play music until 5am.

’In the summertime, we would never see the night because we were working late hours. We had only one day off and a 60 hour week, as some of us had jobs on the side. We worked hard and played hard!’

Noel’s knowledge and passion for the hotel is undeniable. It’s no wonder that he was often commended for his efforts.

In 1980, he was named as the Porter of the Year and was later offered the job of slots mechanic by David Knight, who was director of the hotel at the time. He was also crowned Employee of the Year in 1989.

That same year, it was announced that he was the overall Palace Group Employee of the Year, and received his very first trip abroad to Spain with his wife, Mary.

Looking back to his early years of employment, a memory that is clearly etched in his mind is helping the victims of the Summerland fire in 1973.

’I saw the smoke rising up from Summerland from where I was in the hotel,’ he said. ’My colleagues and I jumped into the minibus to get there. It was devastating.

’We looked after the walking wounded and got them into the minibus to take them to Noble’s Hospital. We made a few trips that night.

’The hotel was taken over when the disaster happened because all rooms had a telephone, something that was well ahead of its time, and no other place could cater for the investigation.

’That next morning, there was a roll call in the hotel at 10am of Summerland staff to find out who was alive and who was dead. Many of them had died.’

In the midst of the investigations into the leisure centre tragedy, a man escaping the scene of the Golden Egg murder approached Noel, asking for a room.

’I unwittingly checked the murderer in here at 12.30am. I thought it was strange that he came in so late, but he told me he was a pilot and had to do a forced landing at Ronaldsway airport.

’He wanted to go to the night club, but in those days you needed a shirt and tie so I went and got him one.

’Later I booked a taxi for him because he said he had to be at the airport early. I remember him looking up at the time a lot, it wasn’t until a few years later that I’d realised he was actually looking for blue lights!

’The police were still here for the Summerland investigation and then here for this investigation - it just clicked,’ he exclaimed.

James Richard Lunney was eventually caught and convicted of beating a fast-food restaurant manager to death with a fire extinguisher.

Soon after the two events, Noel witnessed another calamity. ’I was walking to work from Broadway when I could see all the scorching on the sides of the Palace Hotel.

’Another night porter had lit up methylated spirits and started a fire here because he wanted to be the one who discovered it so he could be hailed as a "hero".

’We had to go around and check all the rooms, but couldn’t stand on the floor because it was too hot. About 18 bedrooms were completely lost, but nobody got injured.

’Luckily Judge Canterly, who was staying in the hotel, had gone home that morning - his room was absolutely devastated by the fire.

’With all these three things one after the other, I was really being tested,’ he laughed.

Noel was promoted from a night porter to a driving porter once he got his licence, where he transported guests to and from the airport.

One particular highlight during this role was delivering food to a formal opening by the Queen.

’The Queen came over for Tynwald day and opened Queen Elizabeth II High School. We had to get all the food prepared at the Palace to the QEII ceremony and have everything served in time.

’I had to get escorted by the police, as the roads were shut off at Ballacraine. Then we had to deliver food to Government House, where guests from other nations were present.’

Moving into the casino, Noel has seen many people win prizes and with the biggest jackpot he has awarded being £54,500 to a man from Ramsey.

During the 1990s and 2000s, Noel saw multiple changes occur to the complex from the Lido being demolished to computers being installed in the casino.

And in 2012 plans were announced for the demolition of the Palace Hotel.

’I remember thinking "this is my whole life!" But we kept pushing the boundaries and have just kept going since,’ he smiled.

When asking Noel what he will miss most about working as the slots manager at the hotel’s casino, he replied: ’I’m going to miss working with the public.’