Photograph
Jimmy Savile
Plaza Ballroom
1978

“Jeez - that takes me back. I used to play Pool, Asteroids and Space Invaders in that arcade on my way to Yanks which was behind Rotters opposite. A few years later, I would get chips from the chippy next to the Odeon, sit on the war memorial (site of famous Joy Division photo) and watch the full scale scrapping on Oxford Road when all the tribes were chucked out of the different clubs. Riot vans, dogs the lot. And as for the night bus, the 222 down Hyde Road......”

“222? Narh. The 222 went to Partington.”

“Eeeee back in my dey when Ah were a lad............wid all meet in't public bar ert Grand Hotel on Aytoun Street,then up t'Phoenix up th'Oxferd Road lookin' in't music shops at wot tha'd never ave,an when thi' kicked thi' eawt up'thur ,down t'Continental, 'Enry's or Waves in't Shudehill.Eeee it were a reet rum place were Waves.If thi'd chucked up an'wer a bit th'empty thad ave a boilt burger from't van th'outside Woolies wen thi' were't waytin' fer th'allneet 216 back t'Ayshton.

Then I got a fake S.U. card and discovered UMIST and the Poly.”

“Reet gradely tale theer, owd lad!

Don't get me started on the Conti! What was the Tropicana - was that Tiffanys? Or Fagins?

Welcome to Manchester District Bus Archive. The 222 went down Hyde Rd in the early 80s I swear. I've still got the scars!”

“I used to go in the Continental on Oxford Street sometimes - that was where the toilets were slightly higher than the dancefloor, with the predictable result... It was near the junction with Whitworth Street - all gone now.

However, I used to go in the New Continental (off Princess Street - was it Harter Street or Winser Street?) - all the time, every bloody night.

The tomato sauce for the kebabs was kept in an old Ribena bottle. There was a huge rather badly-painted mural on the wall of people having a jolly time at some Mediterranean resort.

I still have my membership card for New Conti's somewhere.

Someone told me that there was still a club there now, but not New Conti's.”

“What about Waves then ?.You got a ticket for a free meal at the door,always burger and chips on a paper plate(no bun,just that), that looked and tasted like a deep-fried beer mat and burnt matchsticks.We went in one night and a Hells Angel was giving his bike an oil change in front of the bar.The toilets did'nt have urinals,there was a length of plastic guttering hung from the ceiling with wire that emptied out through an hole in the wall to the car park below!!.There were'nt half some characters in that place.A girl who was a regular there,claimed to be a witch and would bite you on the arm and keep attached for half an hour as her way of a greeting.She never had a boyfriend,I wonder why!!.”

“The New Conti was a great place but who was the git who always put the Bouzouki music on the jukebox right in the middle of a run of banging tunes? That used to p...me off.Could never understand why they didn't have a DJ but sure it was probably financially driven.A night in there followed by a walk down Upper Brook St to the Plaza cafe for 1/2 chicken Biryani (suicide strength)consumed next to somebody vomiting or fighting with each other or even the staff. Halcyon days for sure but no doubt responsible for my deteriorating health. It became a Delicatessen when it shut down but not sure what it is now”

“I used to like that bouzouki tune - the one that started really slow and got faster and faster...

I think they did have a DJ originally. I am trying to think of the name of the guy who ran the place...

Dave Formula from Magazine used to hang around in New Conti - I used to try and talk to him but I was usually completely pissed by then.”

“Never knew the original Conti - new Conti was my era. Arnie - where was Waves then?”

“Waves was on Dantzic Street in the Shudehill area.It was just a door on the corner of an old building and had a steep flight of stairs that descended to a large room with a small bar that resembled a damp filthy vermin infested dungeon,it was'nt the decor,that's just the way it was !.I don't think we ever went there through choice,it was just somewhere to get a pint bottle of Boddies when everywhere else had shut.
The bouncers would only let you in if you were a hippy,a biker or an Angel and woe betide any punks that peered through the little clap in the door when a bouncer slid it back.It was a deplorable but great place.”

“Was Waves in the same block of warehouses on Dantzic Street as the Green Door Club?

Actually, I think that may have been the New Green Door Club, as the original Green Door Club was on Shudehill next to the gun shop.

They were used by the print workers after they'd finished their shift - I think the clubs opened about 4 in the morning until breakfast time.”

“Anyone remember the club by the entrance of Victoria Station, above a florist's - was it the Black Cat Club?

It was full of drunken British Rail workers (in their uniforms) staggering around with some rather dubious ladies.

The sound system was a record player that would jump when the dance-floor action became too frenzied - a form of self-regulating feedback system.

It was one of those clubs with a Judas window in the door - "You're a mate of Paul's? In you come then."”

“Big Block........Sorry,never heard of the Green Door Club,it might have been a bit before my time.I don't know whereabouts on Dantzic Street Waves was either,I was usually that bladdered instinct sort of took over and led me there!!.”

“Big Block.........I've just been informed that Waves was on Dantzic Place not Street,if that's of any use.”

“Dantzic Place made a junction with Dantzic Street - I suspect Waves was on the sharp corner.”

“Did it become the Beach Club or am I going senile?”

“Waves - Beach Club... good idea...

The Beach Club was at Oozits, a couple of hundred yards away.”

“Knew it was round there somewhere... thanks. I was bladdered whenever I ventured into Manchester City Centre in those days..Spent a lot of time in the Swinging Sporran where my mate was D.J when it had the Rock Disco midweek.”

“Jimmy Saville claims many firsts but this is an interesting new one: Jimmy Saville as the originator of hip-hop style! Trackies, trainers, gold jewellery, leaning on a Rolls in 1973! Even his autograph is £immy $aville apparently. Now then, now then!

Read more by artist Harland Miller at arts.guardian.co.uk/guesteditors/stor...”

“I am not 100% sure but believe he is credited with coming up with the concept of mixing two of the same record to extend playing time and keep people on the dance floor as opposed to the old waffling in between tracks..but I could be wrong. I really love the idea of hip hop style coming from him though....Fantastic, Hows about that then guys and gals?”

“Yeah, that's what I was alluding to. He presented the first ever TOTP from Manchester of course - we need to hear more about that on here.

John Cooper Clarke always did a fantastic impression of Jimmy Saville.

Is this our longest ever thread, guys and gals?”

“As it happens.....”

“I got Jimmy Saville's autograph when he opened Droylsden carnival one year in the 60's,I was only a nipper and thought it was amazing to see some one off the telly in real life.He got mobbed by the crowds at the playing fields on Lewis Road and remember my Dad calling him something that sounded like 'prat' because one side of his hair was dyed black and the other side white.Can't recall what the autograph looked like,I lost it years ago.

How's about that then..........”

“Bet he didn't call it him out loud as he did a bit of Wrestling in his time.”

“A bit late on picking up on this thread, but I'm fairly sure it was at this venue I saw a benefit gig for the Miners' strike featuring Mark Riley and the Creepers and the Three Johns. An excellent night. I seem to remember a lot of red velvet, and bouncers in bow ties. I have the feeling that the venue had been changed at the eleventh hour.”

“fantastic photo really takes me back and i remember the black cat club nasty never went twice”

“Hi

Green Door club was on Shudehill and served as a watering hole for all the 'inkies' who worked on the Daily Mirror/News of the World/ People in Withy Grove. I remember it being very smoky but open till the early hours for all the press boys. Black Cat was indeed next to Victoria station - a few ladies of the night in there if I remember. Also there was the Railway Mens Club opposite Victoria Station - again a cheap pint, open till late and full of press people. If you were still thirsty the Press Club off Deansgate was always a good place to go - a bit more upmarket with the chance of bumping into Granada and sometimes even Coronation St 'stars'. But be careful driving home as police wouild often pull you and breathylse you even after giving them free newspapers!!!!”

“Andrew was the Christian name of the owner and genial host of the New Conti, (taking us back a few threads I know) Anyone remember the fire brigade incident there., place floods, fire tender turns up, and we're all standing on stools drinking as they drain the place, kids today....they just wouldn't believe it.”

“was the Banshee somewhere near this pic?, my memory can't quite remember!”

“In answer to Tony on the Tropicana, yep! That was Tiffany's during it's final days. If I remember right I think Pete Smith and Jumpin Johnny Owen were DJ'ing there as was I a few months before it closed after Tony from Nitemares took over as manager.”

“Met John Hyatt from the Three Johns the other day, and he confirmed that they did play at what was then the Tropicana with the Creepers”

“I remember tiffinys 19 80 the monday nights were great wi th let me think ...phil novac as dj who would then double as a dj at the weekends at pips ..he would get 25.00pounds per night then which was good money as most of the jocks including myself were on 10 pound a night ,,with not being able to socialise at the weekend most of the clubland people would visit other clubs through the week i.e placemate on a tuesday and the likes of ..he hee grand old stuff ..am so glad i was there then at that time ..the kids nowdays have nothin to compare with what was about ...nuff said ..GED FOLEY”

“eeee! Ged Foley, now that name conjures up some memories... Tell you what Ged, you're dead right! The up and comers these days will never experience townie life as it was in those halcyon days... We didn't actually meet up until much later, but If I remember correctly - at the same time as you were at Tiffs I was mis-spending my youth down at Pomona docks gigging on Westward Ho. Let's keep this thread going, anyone remember the old boat?”

“Yes...The pool table was always "listing" to one side. When you were setting the balls up they rolled away the moment the triangle was removed.I had just passed my driving test and bought a car and decided to take my future wife there for a night out. I had only been once before and I had travelled there (pissed) in the boot of someones car so was not sure of the way.We never actually got there though as I got totally lost round the docks and ended up going home with a stress induced headache...I went there a few times with the lads from work and remember throwing up over the side on more than one occasion (must have been sea sickness)...What happened to it did it sink or something?I went one time to find it had gone.”

“I only did a couple of hours at tiffs with phil...sorry the way i put was a bit ambiguous..my main residency was leisure 2000 s gaff pips and then later (that s why i love this photo) rotters ...cos thats the view you got when you were stood outside and turned to the left(if you turned to the right fagins would come into view with mickey francis standing on guard behind the smoked glass)phil novac was the dj who also made a living out of playing a clint eastwood lookalike...even to this day.. i think he went on to dot.com radio station in whythinshawe but now is working or doing something in spain my spies tell me.. an di do remeber the westwood ho ..did a girl dj work there called holly berry..girl dj s there something whatever happened to jackie gee and her cats...cherelle aka gail glough the scruff (as wee willie used to call her) is in dubai working in a plastics surgeons office ....all of us from pips used to go to placemates on tuesdays anyone remeber that.. i would be knackered the next day getting up for work but boy did i enjoy it ..the energy and stamina you had as a teen ..it would kill me now if i did it..”

“Oh Ged... Some of us are still living at that pace now! The girl jocks used to do early week nights on the boat and me and a guy called DJ Duke Ozzy (no not that one) used to do weekends. How the hell did you find that out about Gail Clough? Confession here guys, I was the one who re-invented her as Cherelle when she came on our books at Deejays in Hazel Grove and worked Kicks in town for us, I always had a soft spot for Gail. You mentioned Placemates on Tuesdays, Chris Lesser was the manager there before he opened Saturdays on Portland Street. It was Chris who took me on there, initially to work with Paul Anthony and to be honest was one of the best club managers I ever worked with!
Oh, and in answer to sbilts re the fate of Westward Ho - the comet jet on the car park which was the restaurant was closed after Granada TV went in there to film for something and they ripped all of the interior out and re-fitted it. That never opened again and the boat fell into major disrepair and was eventually sold to be re-fitted and opened somewhere else although I never found out where.”

“ha ! gail glough..she use to keep in touch by sendiing me a x mas card and on the back she would tell me what she was doing.. although some of the stuff sounded a bit o.t.t..i last met up with gail at a castlefield bar 8 years ago ..she had changed her a job agin and was now something do with getting acts booked to go and work in dubai and she waas in manchester to scout any good ones at the frog and bucketetc she would also name drop like mad an dtake calls on her phone and say out loud about flying up to scotland cos there on the v.i.p guest list after party concert with eminem !!blah blah...anyway some thing cropped up the next day she says she has to get back to dubai important meeting and all that..you can track gail down on facebook under her real name not cherelle..moving on to chris lesser ..yes i knew he came from placemate ..as did john chapman ...who ran the clubs as a whole for britannia..he brought with him ...paul risby who ran fridays in northenden...harry asgill who ran kicks where all the barmaids wore knickers and a bra.chris apparently now runs a little hotel in wales from the last i hear..paul anthony i met him at my audition for fridays at saturdays ..it was on a thursday night.. the reason is paul wanted to drop the weds night he was doing because it was quiet and he was going down to london a lot keeping in touch with gay davies and hopping something might come his way..last thing a heard on paul a. he was doing m.u.t.v”

“So the old brigade are all still alive and doing well? Thanks for that Ged, we'll have to put a reunion together and have a night in town. Now where could we go? Pips -gone, Tiffs - gone, The Italian Stallion, Rotters, Fagins, Herriots, Blueberries, Brubakers, Saturdays, Sachas, Kicks, Jenny's,Cellar Vie, Deno's, Mr Smiths, North Westward Ho, Belle Vue, hell where did it all go? Now where did I put my password for Facebook? Hello? Gail?”

“I remember brubakers ..i was working as a jock at kicks bar on a thursdayand i was seeing one of the barmaids like you did and after all the staff would then pop down to brubakers (which later became vogue and which i worked a couple of nights when john chapman had it)
i think the guy who owned it was called john..erm...hill i think ..but anyway it would be packed with fanny cos they would have male strippers doing a spot ,,i think it got raided once or thrice and eventually closed down due to undercover wpc s in the gaff...bet they enjoyed the night and had a laugh though!...”

“Every Sunday night my friend Susan and i would catch a bus from Rawtenstall to Manchester, i dont think we ever missed, Tiffanys was my favourite place on earth, palm tree on the dance floor too, my god those were the days, the music was unbelievable.”

“I remember some fantastic nights on the boat, with my friends and my sister, wonder what happened to everyone, i especially remember Colin and Gordon (he was one of the doormen) i have some very fond memories of those nights with kentucky fried chicken on the way home. wonder where they are now?”

“Is this the Tiffanys that used to have a palm tree on the dance floor, i used to go with my girlfriends every Sunday night we would catch the bus from Rawtenstall, my god that place was awesome, fantastic music fabulous memorys.Chips on the way home, so good.”