WHEN Tommy Fong called time on his legendary York nightspot The Willow, he wanted no mementoes as the former Cantonese restaurant's double doors closed for the last time at 4am on Monday, July 27.

It fell to York photographer Ceri Oakes to save the last dance for posterity as she recorded the final days of a Coney Street business that had begun in 1936 and been synonymous with 11pm openings, late-night discos, sticky dancefloor and free prawn crackers since 1973

"I took the pictures initially as I was an avid visitor of The Willow, it was my favourite place to go on a night out, and I even named my cat Willow after the place," says Ceri.

"Tommy said he didn't want a record of the place as he isn't sentimental, so I feel very honoured to have been allowed in to record one of the final nights. He strictly told me no photos of him but I sneaked a couple.

York Press:

Ceri Oakes, standing by her exhibition in the City Screen corridor

"I had a huge response when I posted them on my blog, which led to me getting asked to do the exhibition, which I was thrilled to do as it meant I could honour the Willow's legacy in some way."

The photographs are on show at City Screen, York, until January 5. "They've been popular because so many people loved The Willow, which anyone who hasn't been totally wouldn't get if they looked at the photos," says Ceri.

Now 29, she loved The Willow, from her very first experience in her student days of reading English Literature at the University of York. "I worked at Topshop and it was always the place we went at the end of the night, possibly as it was the only place left open! But I was instantly won over by the free prawn crackers and jazzy entry stamps," she says.

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"The Willow Chinese Disco closed its doors forever on Sunday 26 July 2015, or technically Monday 27 as it stays open until around 4am," says Ceri.

"If I had to describe the Willow to anyone who had never been there, it was like having a house party in the well-worn living room of some student digs. With the added bonus of the aroma of prawn crackers and cooking oil, very cheap drinks and incredibly cheesy music."

What made her an avid fan of The Willow? "I never had a bad night there. There was always a brilliant atmosphere. We would hand in our song requests on a piece of paper to the DJ and dance all night. Sometimes the whole dance floor would join a conga; it was like an Eighties' Christmas do," she says.

"It was held in such affection by so many in York because it was never pretentious like some places can be. There was always an eclectic mix of people who embraced the place for what it was. You felt at home and could be yourself. I guess because it was so unusual it became quite legendary. For example, beers were served in the can, but it wasn't trying to be cool, it was just how they always did it."

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"The Willow toilets left a lot to be desired," says Ceri

Ceri's favourite night at The Willow involved managing to persuade the DJ to turn on the snow machine and play Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas....in July. "It went down a storm," she says. "A perfect night in the Willow was simply being there with your best friends, can of beer in hand, singing along to your favourite song without a care in the world."

Can there ever be another Willow in York or was it a one-off, Ceri? "It was a one-off. I heard that some places are running Willow nights, but I don't think they will take off. I think it took years to create the atmosphere, and it was something about the unchanging, aged decor that was comforting," she says

"The legacy it leaves behind is that The Willow taught us to expect the unexpected. and to be open minded. You can find happiness and joy in simple pleasures. Under the most unlikely of exteriors. If you are willing that is."

The prawn crackers had their own magic. "We knew we had eaten a LOT if we had small cuts around our mouths the next morning!" recalls Ceri. "I had a large tub of prawn crackers at the opening night of my City Screen exhibition too. I think that was one of the biggest draws The Willow had, the never- ending tub perched by the bar to soak up your Sambucas."

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Farewell to "The Wilow Chinese Disco, Chi Di, Dim Sum Disco, call it what you will"

As the sun sets on "The Willow Chinese Disco, Chi Di, Dim Sum Disco, call it what you will", where does Ceri go instead in York? "I've yet to find anywhere that quite lives up to the legendary Willow. I don't live in York now so I wouldn't have a clue where to end the night, but I enjoy chilled-out quirky places like Evil Eye," she says.

Where might Ceri's photographs of revellers drinking shots, dancing and making requests to the DJ go next? Could she give them to a social historian? Maybe the library? Or maybe she could compile a book?

"I never expected the photos to be as popular as they have been, so I haven't thought much about what to do with them next, but if anyone wants to buy a framed picture from the exhibition as a keepsake, they are £30 each," says Ceri, who can be contacted via email at ceri_oakes@hotmail.com

She has "a few ideas up her sleeve" for her next exhibition project, based on unusual groups or places. "I think a photographer will always get better photos if they have an emotional connection with a place or person," she says. The waning of The Willow, as seen through her eyes, is testament to that.

Ceri Oakes's exhibition of The Willow runs at City Screen, York, until January 5.

Did you know?

Ceri Oakes, originally from York, is a press photographer based in Durham, from where she covers northern England for a news a