DRESSING for dinner was definitely the order of the day for 1970s Spanish holidaymakers like local family the Gores.

Jo Gore — pictured front with her elder sister, right, and parents Brenda and Peter — were enjoying life at their holiday home in Cala D’Or, Mallorca in this shot in 1973.

Jo’s parents had bought an apartment on the newly-built development “after a rainy holiday in Wales” and her Mum would take her daughters out each summer for the entire six weeks’ school holidays. Their Dad came for the last two weeks, taking time off from his joinery business.

“I remember getting holiday pocket money and dividing the pesetas into six envelopes, one for each week –usually spent on cap guns and sweets,” she recalled.

“In those days, you would dress for dinner. The English apartment owners would host drinks in turn, inviting a group of usually 20 of us over for drinks on their terrace before dinner. So, us kids would tag along.

“Kaftans flowed and lots of drinks and laughter took place. There I would nibble crisps and drink Coke, talking to the other kids, and that’s where I discovered olives. Gorgeous!”

Jo remembers how their suitcases for this regular break “always had necessary provisions such as Breakaway biscuits and Sunny Delight – a chemical powder that turned into an orange drink when introduced to water.

“There was a tin of Spam and a tinned fray Bentos pie,” she added. “Supermarkets were sparse then so Mum brought some firm favourites.”

Jo’s parent, however, did encourage their children to try the local fare. “When we ate in restaurants, my Dad always encouraged me to try different foods,” she said. “If I didn’t like it then I didn’t order it again. I love Mediterranean food to this day.

“In real Spain, there is no kids’ menu of nuggets and sausage. They bring it out for the tourists. Kids just have a small portion of what’s on the main menu.

“So many happy memories of Mallorca,” stated Jo, whose family kept their holiday home until just this year when they sold it.