Snake Pit

The Snake Pit was the name given to the site outside Don and Rosina Errichetti's cafe, La Spiaggia, on the corner of Manning Street and the Esplanade at Scarborough Beach. From 1955 local bodgies and widgies flocked to the area to dance to rock and roll music.

Rosina Errichetti recounted memories of the Snake Pit in a Scarborough Chronicle project video.

We built a large wall to prevent the beach sand, installed a timber floor, purchased furniture, umbrellas and of course a record player and speakers. Originally we played Italian and Latin music on records I had imported from Argentina but as Rock and Roll music and culture swept in we were literally playing "Rock around the Clock" all day long. Teenagers then brought in the latest Rock 'n Roll records to listen and dance to. That was the beginning of the Snake Pit, named after the snakey style of dancing.

A link to Rosina's whole video is below.