THE rock and roll dance studio where singer Lulu kicked off her chart-topping career has closed down after 50 years.

Lindella Dance School in Glasgow's Buchanan Street shut last week after owner and Queen of Jive' Betty Allan decided to retire.

Betty, 78, opened the venue in Union Street in 1957 as a club. She then moved it to Buchanan Street in 1977 when the venue became a dance school. Betty was my inspiration LULU, who shot to fame aged just 15 with her version of the Isley Brothers' song Shout, said singing at the club gave her a platform for success.

She said: "I started to go along to learn to jive all my family, and in fact everyone in Glasgow, was into it.

"Back then it was the coolest, hippest crowd. It the era just before disco, and Betty was the Queen of Jive'.

"Somehow I ended up singing for the band there, and it was a great platform for me, somewhere I could be seen, and then that escalated into interest from the record business."

Shout went on to reach No7 in the charts and Lulu has featured in the Top 10 on seven other occasions.

Lulu, who is 60 this year, paid tribute to Betty saying: "She's had a long run and it's something to be proud of.

"I was inspired by her."

Many celebrities attended the popular club nights over the years.

They included Billy Connolly and the famous Real Madrid team that beat Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 at Hampden in 1960.

But its biggest claim to fame is the role it played in launching the career of 14-year-old Dennistoun girl Marie McDonald McLaughlin Lawrie, who went on to find fame as Lulu.

Every Sunday, Lulu and her backing band the Gleneagles - later the Luvvers - would play the Glasgow club for a pound a night.

It was here she was discovered by Marion Massey who later become her manager.

Alex Houston, Betty's late husband, was Lulu's first manager.

And Betty has many fond memories of the venue.

She said: "All forms of people came to Glasgow back then, and there just wasn't anything else like it.

"Most dance studios were tiny, but this was a huge place. I had a very happy time and met lots of nice and famous people.

"Back then you weren't allowed to drink in the clubs, but people still had a great time here. However, when music came into pubs it took a lot away from us."

The club also acted as a rock and roll dance school, where students of all ages would get tuition and practise.

In the 70s the business switched to focus more on teaching dance.

Betty's son Allan Houston went to the school and was a Scottish Champion in jive in the 1980s, competing in the world championships in France in 1989.

Allan said: "My mum's still fit enough but she feels she's not making any money anymore.

"It's been an institution for about 50 years mum even remembers Real Madrid came in.

"The club could host up to about 700 people but I know more people."

Betty admits that since teaching in the 1940s, she does not know what she'll be doing with her time.

She may spend more time with her two grandchildren, 13-year-old Sharon and Allan, aged six.

Betty added: "I've no idea what to do now, but I feel it's the right time to move on."