Greater Manchester’s most missed nightclub of all time decided by readers

We all have one nightclub we wish we could dance the night away in just one more time.

Over the decades, dozens of clubs have vanished off the face of the Greater Manchester nightlife scene. But that doesn’t mean they still don’t live on in our memories.

Whether it’s where you met your partner, found your crowd or where some of your best moments were created, they were the venues that helped shape the region’s nightlife scene as we know it today.

READ MORE: Raided on the first day – the lost cannabis café which brought Amsterdam to Stockport

A recent poll conducted by the Manchester Evening News asked: “What long lost nightclub in Greater Manchester would you revisit for old time’s sake?” And this is what you said.

Below are a list of 11 you voted for that you miss the most in reverse order. How many did you visit?

11. Quaffers

Opened in a former golf club in 1978, the iconic Stockport variety club welcomed huge names over two decades, from Shirley Bassey and the Drifters to Take That and George Best. With a capacity of 2,600, the Hollingworth Road club boasted a lavish interior, as well as a rising stage, serving hot beef barms from its downstairs kitchen that many punters still remember today.

Owned by multi-millionaire hotelier Douglas ‘Dougie’ Flood, Quaffers was a firm favourite among Stockport’s smart set in the 70s and 80s. The final curtain came down on the club in December 1998, with the site bulldozed in 2004 to make way for a Homebase superstore.

With 12 votes, Quaffers is still fondly remembered by those who went there. One reader said: “I only went to Quaffers two or three times, the atmosphere was amazing, it felt like you were going to have a great night out……and you did. The stage being raised to the sounds of atmospheric music. Brilliant!!!”

10. Millionaire Club

Gain with 12 votes, The Millionaire Club – known to most simply as The Millionaire – was opened in the 70s by Peter Stringfellow. After his work at Rotters, John Barry was given the chance to audition for the DJ spot in a new club.

He previously told the MEN: “In 1979 I was asked to audition for Peter Stringfellow at The Millionaire Club in front of Rod Stewart where I became the longest DJ to work there. I worked as main DJ until the end of 1986.” Monday night was the biggest night. The rich & famous came to the club in their droves, and Paul the car jockey would park their Rolls Royce and Ferraris. “The club was recognised world wide, & I still get people stopping me in the street to say how they loved the club.”

John continued to DJ at The Millionaire’s club after Peter Stringfellow had sold it to Granada TV. One MEN reader said: “I’ve lived and travelled all around the World, never been in a better more fabulous club than The Millionaire.”

9. Brahms & Liszt

Scoring 14 votes, Brahms and Liszt was a popular spot in the 1980s. It was located in the basement that would later become Panama Hatty’s.

Brahms and Liszt was known for its Tiger Lounge club night, which eventually became a now-closed club of its own. It was later announced that the site wa due to be turned into a Middle Eastern restaurant by the owners of El Gato Negro.

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8. Wigan Casino

In its heyday, coachloads of clubbers descended on Wigan Casino for nights of Northern soul dancing, bringing all the magic of the scene to the town. It was an arena for those addicted to the very opposite of Top of the Pops – the rare, obscure, dance hall stomps, torch tunes and ‘lost’ American music which became Northern Soul.

Other legendary Northern Soul clubs included the Twisted Wheel in Manchester, the Catacombs in Wolverhampton and the Golden Torch in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent. But many would say the Wigan Casino was very much the epicentre of this vibrant scene – the place where working class young people from England’s industrial towns found fun, freedom and friendship in forgotten black American music.

Wigan Casino received 17 votes, with one reader saying: “Dancing all night, just good fun!” Another said: “Just the vibe. All the togetherness and of course the sounds. Even the mad crush waiting to get in, meeting your mates from different parts of the country. You had to be there to really experience the atmosphere.”

7. Legends

Originally home to Twisted Wheel, this site was later home to Placemate 7, Follies and Legends until it closed for good in 2012. It was demolished in 2013 to make way for a hotel.

Legends received 17 votes by Manchester Evening News readers. One said: “Alternative in the main room and rave in the smaller room on a Friday, amazing times at Legends.”

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6. Piccadilly 21

Loud, sticky and cheap – Piccadilly 21s had chandeliers in the loos and was a proper 90s party palace. Through the 80s and 90s, it was affectionately known by clubbers as 21s.

Gaining 22 votes, in the early noughties the club attracted many students, but later closed. One reader said: “Best in town good music and 2 for 1 before midnight.”

Another said: “Buying the DJ legend cd for a tenner from the DJ.” And one MEN readers commented: “Thursday, pound in and pound a drink!”

Do these awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below.

5. Hacienda

The legendary Hacienda nightclub closed on June 28, 1997 – but its legacy still lives on. The epicentre of the Madchester scene in the 80s and early 90s, it was bankrolled by Tony Wilson’s Factory Records and New Order and opened inside a former yacht builder’s warehouse at 11-13 Whitworth Street West on May 21, 1982.

40 years after it first opened its doors in Manchester, the spirit of the Hacienda came back to life in the city centre on earlier this month with a huge rave. Still remembered fondly, Hacienda scored 26 votes from our readers.

One MEN reader said: “Each night was slightly different with it’s playlist. So for instance VOID on a Wednesday would be Ilalian piano house. Thursday’s would be more of indie inspired with the likes of Shine. Fridays would be house and Saturdays have a bit more hip-hop going on. Loved them all.” And another said: “Just getting in was a thrill, but I can still remember going there on a Thursday 15th September to see M people and K Klass it was rammed, ticket only I worked for the council at the time and had just got paid everything had fell into place what a night!”

4. Placemate 7

Another popular suggestion has been Placemate 7, which took over the former Twisted Wheel club space on Whitworth Street. The building was later home to Follies and Legends until it closed for good in 2012.

The building was demolished in 2013 to make way for the Motel One near Piccadilly train station. With 30 votes, one person said: “Always great music and different rooms playing different genres if you didn’t like one particular tune.”

Another said: “Our large group of friends had diverse music preferences and we could all go to the same club, split off into different rooms then meet up for drinks and go home together. Wonderful place.” And one person said: “I had Placemate advertising stickers, my dad took one and put it in his car and when people asked about it he said he went on a Tuesday night – I laughed as I told him it was the only night it was closed!”

3. Rotters

There’s now an NCP car park where the hugely popular Rotters once stood on Oxford Road. Based in the old Gaumont Cinema, Rotters replaced Romanoff’s nightclub in the late 70s and is remembered for its famously sticky carpets.

The venue was hugely popular, but the building was demolished in 1990. With 32 votes, John Barry previously said “I worked as the main DJ at Rotters on Oxford Road. Bands such as Slade, Simple Minds, XTC & loads of top ten artists performed live.”

One reader said: “You had to dress smart to get in, the Bouncers ( pre-door security) Would walk up and down the line ” Your not coming in Son ” His crime a pair of jeans or trainers, costing far more than the flares and platforms I’d be wearing, once In the place was buzzing, both My ex Wives also loved it….” Another person said: “Just great times back in the late seventies.”

2. Pips

Located in a basement beneath Fennel Street behind the cathedral, Pips was a four-room club frequented by members of Joy Division, Ian Brown, Morrissey and Johnny Marr – as well as a lot of M.E.N. readers, and waves of Manchester style tribes. With 30 votes, it had different styles of music confined to different rooms.

One MEN reader said: “Loved Pips dressing up for the Roxy room.” Another said: “The themed rooms, the bowie room would play Bowie all night and be full of lookalikes. And the excitement of being under the city.”

One reader said they loved the fact you could “wander from one music room to another, with a different genre in each.” Whereas another said: “I worked at Pips for four years from it opening, some great memories working behind every bar in the place & there was nine.”

1. Jilly’s Rockworld

With 39 votes, readers voted to name Jilly’s Rockworld as the club they most miss and would love to dance in once again. Jilly’s, the flyers for which boasted ‘rock, metal, punk, goth, alternative & nu-wave alt’, ran three nights a week from 1983 until it closed its doors in 2010.

Formerly known as Fagins, the club was a beacon for rock and metal fans from all across the North West, and threw an all-nighter once a month, which ran until 7am. It would famously serve Pot Noodles behind the bar on the all-nighters, to soak up the cider.

These days, the site is occupied by the Tesco Metro on Oxford Road. One reader shared: “Jill’s rocking to Maiden, ACD, and faith no more whilst drinking Newcastle brown, wow.”

Another said they loved “being with like minded people, the rock music and blinking in the early morning sunlight when leaving.” Another added: “Brilliant music, fabulous people, great friends made. Started going when I was 16 and continued till it closed, I was very old then. Bring back Jilly’s”

One person said: “Friday night every week meeting up with your mates from all over Manchester all of us coming together for our love of heavy metal, in a place we could party all night … it was mint …. until Tesco’s!!” And another MEN reader commented: “Practically a second home during college, went every Thursday and some weekends as well. Trying to start a mosh pit in the Tesco isn’t the same…”

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