Nightclubs in the 70s and 80s


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Clubs closed at 2 am....to get that bar extension, they had to serve food. When I worked in the hippo, they had a restaurant, but the Manchester clubs I worked gave free burger and chips!!!!!!....

Just remembered cinderellas was Leeds

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I recall going to Isabella's one winters night for a friend's 21st party in about 1975. The stipulation was fancy dress. I went as a bishop and I had to carry one of the girls from work there from t

Here comes Mick now!

The artists appearing at the regions night spots used to double book back in these days. My mate used to taxi them about from time to time. He related to me that on one occasion he had to take Tommy

Clubs closed at 2 am....to get that bar extension, they had to serve food. When I worked in the hippo, they had a restaurant, but the Manchester clubs I worked gave free burger and chips!!!!!!....

Just remembered cinderellas was Leeds

It was Cinderellas/Rockafellas.

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Hippos....Bridlesmith Gate....near The Fountain pub.

Twas a joke my friend, we have "Hippo Girl" post #37 who worked there for a long time.

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The "Got to serve food" law was bypassed by clubs opening on Sundays too. The Ariba , mentioned many times elsewhere, got by it by giving away free pizzas. !

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We used to go to Central Park (behind Palais) in the 80's and to a club on Huntingdon street we would cut through the Owd Boots pub to get there. I remember Eddie Kidd opening it but cant remember the name of it.

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Am I correct in thinking that in those days pubs used to close at 10.30/11.00 pm and nightclubs used to close at 2.00 am?

When we lived up near Alfreton, my brother used to go with his mates to the Aquarius in Chesterfield and the Fiesta in Sheffield.

They didn't used to set off till after the pubs closed and I used to think: What a long way to go for just a couple of hours!

But given that those places had some of the biggest names in the business on, I suppose that made it worthwhile.

That's true friend. you got the times right.I knew two of the professional dancers from the Fiesta, met them a few years ago. boy could they jive. Yes both clubs had a lot of huge stars come there. Did anyone remember Marti Cane?. she was a Comedian. A She was always at the Fiesta so I believe, also later, was on TV with her own comedy series and hostess of a talent show.

I was too young to go to those places but boy, wish I had. thank you. De Da.

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The artists appearing at the regions night spots used to double book back in these days. My mate used to taxi them about from time to time. He related to me that on one occasion he had to take Tommy Cooper from the Commodore to the Aquarius at Chesterfield. Tommy came out of the Commodore late, jumping in the cab he said "Get me there on time and there's a drink in it for you. As they turned into the Aquarius car park Tommy reach over the drivers seat and pushed something into Bobs breast pocket saying thank you very much. Tommy got out and Bob felt his pocket which was bulging. At the edge of the car park Bob stopped and pulled out the wad. Two Teabags.

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Ah the "My mate/ Tommy Cooper/ teabag routine" I wish I had a fiver for every time I heard that one.

I'm pretty sure it was Denshaw who told it me last time .................................................................................................. slywink

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First bloke who told me that one was a mate called Ronnie Barton, who i worked with in 1978 .

And that (post #47) is the perfect example of 'over quoting'!!!!!

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Another Venue De Da will be aware of, but I only remember it by name. 'Retford Porterhouse'

Not forgetting Clouds at Derby where I saw Jimmy Ruffin about 1971.

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Mick's mention of Retford Porterhouse jogged my memory of going there to see a band called Heavy Metal Kids.

The lead singer was one Gary Holton, who went on to play Wayne in Auf Wiedersehen Pet.

Still got their LPs somewhere.

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I remember Tiffanys in Derby (Babington Lane), but not Talk of the Midlands.

What road was it on?

Sorry Rob & Mick,

I'm in the wrong era. Thinking about it, it was probably about mid 60's when I last went there. It was an alternative to Heart of the Midlands/Fiesta/Aquarius. I think it was a converted cinema.

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Mick's mention of Retford Porterhouse jogged my memory of going there to see a band called Heavy Metal Kids.

The lead singer was one Gary Holton, who went on to play Wayne in Auf Wiedersehen Pet.

A Heavy Metal Kid with his building mates (he's extreme left).

aufwied.jpg

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Yes Mick went to the Porterhouse once, around 79, forget who we saw. Rock lobster The B52's was in the charts. remember meeting a beauty from Doncaster. Blonde dyed hair, black jacket and just dark tights. pity i didn't get her number. she was a punk. I was into Sham 69.Then Gary Numan. When I first started playing synthesizers. I died my hair electric blue like Numan. must have looked stupid looking back. oh the spoils of youth. Two floors as I remember.

some big names appeared there Happy days. Thank you for making me remember. I Know a girl who worked there she got to know everyone.

Jimmy Ruffin, wow!. My ster was kissed by Marvin Gaye, should have gone to a well known optisions. Hope that's all he did. Oh I wish i coud spel. cheers Mick. De Da.

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'Talk of the Midlands' at Derby. What happened to that?

Where in Derby was that? I worked there 1995-2011, I will probably know the building?

I walked past it about half an hour ago as I popped round to Sainsburys for a bottle of milk!

Well the site of it anyway! It was just round the corner from where I live, it was on Mill Street which is a back street just off the top end of Friargate.

It was originally a cinema, converted into a nightclub in 1971. For the opening night they had Frankie Vaughan, then other stars of the time, Matt Monroe, Vince Hill etc.

It closed in 1976, a victim of the recession (does that sounds familiar?) but it was resurrected two or three times in the 1980's becoming Gossips, then Berties but no one seemed to make a go of it for very long.

The building lasted until about 2001 having latterly been a students gym (the area has a huge student population)

It's gone now and been replaced by up-market apartments, you'd never know there'd ever been a cinema or nightclub there.

I remember having a fantastic night there once, always think about it whenever I fetch a bottle of milk!

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  • Cliff Ton changed the title to Nightclubs in the 70s and 80s

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