In 1968, ownership of the pier passed from the local council to Entam Leisure, a division of Trust House Forte, for just £59,000. Entam Leisure decided that the pier needed modernisation to prosper. This involved building the Golden Goose Amusements in a large new modern building on the pier neck, the opening of the Golden Fry Restaurant in the old tearooms, and the conversion of the pavilion into the Dixieland Showbar. As part of this work, the ornate Moorish toll booths at the entrance to the pier were removed to create an open aspect to the pier entrance. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Dixieland Showbar hosted many live concerts, featuring groups/acts such as Motörhead, The Damned, Siouxsie & The Banshees, Elvis Costello, Slade, The Specials, Cockney Rejects and Black Flag. In 1979, the pier was sold again, this time to Rhyl-based leisure operators, Parker's Leisure. They converted the Dixieland Showbar into CJ's Nightclub and built an extension onto the front of the Golden Goose Amusements, to create a larger entrance/amusements area.
