The Astoria, the Cookie Club, the Garage, Liberty's, Ritzy... nights out in Nottingham were never dull in the 1980s and 90s. But there's one club that we really hold dear to our hearts, and that's the Black Orchid.
The club closed for a revamp in 1998 and was rebranded ISIS, an unfortunate name it turns out. It shut for good in 2009 after a number of violent incidents. But decades before there were nothing but fond memories.
When we asked members of the Facebook group Old Nottingham Pictures for their stories, we were flooded with replies. Clubbers loved it - and so did the staff, who wore silky sliver and black stripy shirts and red bow ties.
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It's where a very little-known band called Take That played in the early 1990s and the popular TV show the Hitman and Her was filmed there. A host of famous names, not least Tom Jones, performed when Top of the Pops hit the club.
When you weren't drinking and dancing you could get stuck into a Cantonese buffet. And if you were really lucky you could get your hands on a coveted VIP card.
Unlike the other clubs, it was out of town, so it meant a trip to Redfield Way, near Lenton Industrial Estate. And the most popular form of transport was a bus from the city centre. Iain Humber said: "I used to get tickets at Yates’s for the Orchid Express. It was a good night out at the Orchid."
Lara Beardsley recalled: "I remember getting tickets for the Battle Bus from the DJ at Yates's. The bus left outside Debenhams and took everyone to Black Orchid - it was such a laugh on the bus.
"I don't usually remember leaving the Black Orchid though... too many Diamond Whites usually. Great times."
Julie Ralphs used to drive over from Leicester in her mini every Friday and Saturday night. "It was the best club in the East Midlands," she said.
Student nights on a Monday and Thursdays were popular. Richard Barnes said: "I'm one of the Imperial Tobacco crowd who used to go after every Thursday afternoon shift. Loved that place.
"Met the wife there and we're 32 years in. Awesome times, great Christmas works do there as well. Brilliant nightclub."
Nicola Bland recalled: "As student nurses a group of us used to walk across from QMC. We had some brilliant nights there dancing in the podiums. I remember there was a place to get food upstairs." That's right, the club had a Cantonese buffet (and a hot dog truck outside) for hungry revellers.
Dianne James said: "Absolutely fantastic memories of the Black Orchid Thursday night, £1 to get in and there was a free Cantonese buffet. Best days ever."
Yvonne Haines agreed: "Used to go every Thursday night. Straight upstairs for the free Cantonese buffet. Some happy memories."
Sue Ponting remembered: "I used to go up to the VIP lounge, £5 used to last all night. The best music in the 90s, brilliant night out." Steve Marshall said it was always "a good laugh" and the club played great music.
He commented: "Different bars included the Millionaires' Bar where he pretended to be rich and meet the nicest ladies in the club (gold diggers!). The restaurant overlooking the dance floor was top notch. My mates and I preferred a serving hatch downstairs where we quaffed black bean sauce beef and noodles and sweet and sour chicken and prawns with egg fried rice. Much cheaper!"
In 1992 a young group of lads called Take That performed one of their early gigs at the club. Only 300 people turned up and the promoter lost £15 on the evening.
Carl Meehan recalled: "I remember working for Johnny Moore Promotions then, we worked all day to get the Orchid looking nicely decorated for Take That. Then in the evening we had to be the ones holding the crowd back as they went from the dressing room to the stage. It was great fun. We met all the guys beforehand."
Beverley Levey and her sister were in the crowd. She said: "It was so much fun. I've always been a tomboy but I turned into a screaming pop fangirl when they were singing and dancing. After their mini gig we got to line up along the bar where you got to say hello and they kissed you on the cheek (swoon).
"Not sure if I had a favourite then, they were brand new, but I remember Robbie and Mark the most. A month later Robbie was my favourite and 30+ years later it is still one of my favourite stories to tell about how I've been kissed by all of Take That. I really wish we had photos."
Suzanne Gilbert said: "Saw Take That there at an under 16s party - never heard of them. There wasn't a massive crowd - I was right at the front and I remember touching one of them and thought 'yuck' because he was really sweaty. I went on to become a big fan!"
Head doorman Steve Campion has many memories of famous faces who visited the club. He said: "Tom Jones was friendly when we had Top of the Pops filmed there.
"Ross Kemp came a few times and was very sociable. He wasn't fussed about going in the VIP area.
"He was happy standing at the bar with everyone else. He used to say 'I'm nothing special, Steve'. He'd always come and find me and say he wanted to buy all the door staff a drink. At the time he was in EastEnders, he was a real big star.
"Of course there were lots of footballers and soap stars. The list is endless.
"We had a really good VIP lounge where it did get full of VIPs because at the time the Central TV studios were more or less just across the road," added Steve, who worked the doors between 1989 and 2000. He went on to create the Memories of Black Orchid Nightclub Facebook page and organise reunions.
As well as DJs spinning club anthems, there were bhangra gigs at the club in the 1990s. Indy Samra said: "I even wrote a story about a bhangra gig at Black Orchid which has been published in a book. Fun times."
Marc Hellam recalled being an extra in a project wanting to raise funds for a film. He said: "Me and my brother played police officers rushing into the club to break up a fight. I borrowed a police shirt from my neighbour so I looked the part. As we rushed in I heard a female voice yell 'he's good looking'. I was a bit surprised when later my brother said she meant me. Unfortunately we never made the big screen. I also saw Bad Manners play there."
Revellers got up to all kinds of antics. Caroline Richardson reminisced: "Got on stage with Rick Astley, convincing him he needed backing singers. Would love to see some photos of that. It was a case of taking your camera out with you back then."
Karen Marshall is probably relieved that it was an era when iPhones didn't exist to capture her mishap. She said: "I once slipped over walking across the dancefloor with a drink in my hand, I landed on my bum, but still kept all the drink in my full pint glass! I got a round of applause."
A few too many sherries landed Lisa Douglas in a whole heap of trouble. "I ran backwards from the top of the stairs and fell in a heap at the bottom. I was too drunk to get up and my friend was too drunk to pick me up. On second thoughts... perhaps not my finest moment," she confessed.
Janet Arrand said: "I only went once with work friends. I danced all night not realising how many glasses of wine I'd drank. I soon realised it was far too many when the night air hit me. I remember sitting in a flower bed (I could feel flowers)! Can't remember much else but a kind sober person drove me home. Shameful."
What are your memories of the Black Orchid? Share them in the comments section below.
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