Photograph
The Electric Circus
1977

“I take it the building has been demolished now?”

“Dunno. It was on Collyhurst Street between Rochdale Road and Oldham Road. Why don't you take a look and let us know?”

“I drove down Collyhurst Street the other day and couldn't see anything like a venue.”

“It looked like it needed to be demolished 30 years ago!”

“Long since demolished. It looks not unlike the photos of the Corona cinema which became the Stonegreound then the Mayflower in Gorton. Also long since demolished.

These are great photos Bernie. Welcome to the site.”

“Cheers Tony. I've been clearing out my garage and thought that they'd be too valuable to our history to chuck out. I just wish I could find the rest of them!”

“my fellow dj from waves graham opened the circus in 1976 i think,i used to live in miles platting just over the road. i saw motorhead,scorpions,the pirates and lots of others here,it was the mutts nuts.the best band i ever saw were on here,they were called loving awareness.they were radio carolines house band and were very beatles+badfinger influenced.they later became the blockheads,ian durys band.i wish i had a tape of the gig!charley charles the drummer joined us in the foyer for a smoke after coming off stage,he was bouncing off the walls with energy,a lovely man,now sadly deseased.”

“I still look back at the site every time i pass it and it still upsets me. Denise”

“Hi Bernie, I'm making a documentary, with all of my profits going to Kidneys for life. I'd like to use your photo of the electric circus for the film. Could you please get in touch so I can tell you a bit more. Many thanks Chris”

“Hi,
I am interested in publishing this photo for a piece about Manchester in the 1970s for Medium.com. Would it be possible?
Thanks so much.”

“sadly knocked down many years ago..bernard manning used to own it at one point.”