A generation of Merseyside clubbers will remember having many legendary nights out in Liverpool in the 1970s.
It was a decade that saw Grease hit cinemas, ABBA release Dancing Queen and fans buying the Rumours album by Fleetwood Mac. A number of us were also wearing bell bottom pants or tie dye outfits.
In Liverpool itself, revellers would religiously spend their weekends dancing with friends and having a few drinks in places like The Grafton, The Hollywood, The She Club and more. But over the years, many have closed their doors and are now confined to the history books.
Read More:
- 13 photos show the last days of Merseyside's lost Birds Eye factory
Lost Liverpool newsagents that made toasties for customers who 'left with a smile'
With so many great venues over the years that have made up the fabric of our city's nightlife, we've decided to take a look back at a number of hotspots. Here are nine lost Liverpool nightclubs and bars that we loved in the 1970s.
This list isn't intended to be comprehensive, we've selected a number of lost, popular venues in Liverpool from the 1970s. But if you feel there are some we should have included, let us know in the comments section.
Eric's
Renowned as the beating heart of Liverpool's punk scene, Eric's club opened in 1976 on Victoria Street before finding its permanent home on Mathew Street shortly after. Beneath the iconic 'Eric's' sign, visitors would step through the doors to the underground den where alternative music and fashions weren't only welcomed, but celebrated.
In the four years of the legendary club's existence, it played host to U2, Elvis Costello, The Buzzcocks, The Clash, Joy Division, The Ramones, The Sex Pistols, The Stranglers, Siouxsie and the Banshees and Talking Heads. Merseyside bands like Dead or Alive, Echo & the Bunnymen and Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark also helped launch their budding careers with gigs at Eric's.
The Grafton
Opened in 1924, The Grafton on West Derby Road was once a thriving dance hall next to what is now known as the Liverpool Olympia. The Beatles and Duke Ellington played the venue and famous band leaders like Henry Hall, Victor Sylvester and Joe Loss all appeared on the stage.
By the 1970s, it was extremely popular and was the setting for the famous “grab a granny” Thursday nights which were launched during the decade. In 1999 The Grafton became a star in its own right when it was the subject of a fly-on-the-wall TV documentary but in later years, it was a comedy club before closing down permanently.
The She Club
The She Club on Victoria Street club was a city hot spot until its closure in 1989. Many will remember former owner Mike Coburn, who also used to own the Continental and the Hippodrome.
In 2000, the venue became a club called Mosquito below and a secret VIP bar and club - Vampire - below that. It closed its doors in 2014 and was later replaced by Sugar Hut, and is now home to restaurant Dash and XOXO nightclub.
Do these awaken any memories for you? Let us know in the comments section below.
The Shakespeare
The former Shakespeare Theatre, whose name had been synonymous with variety since it opened in 1888, had played host to stars including Sarah Bernhardt, Lily Langtree and film actress Greer Garson among others. After spells as the Pigalle Theatre Club and the New Shakespeare, in the early 1960s it became the Shakespeare Club, known for cabaret and later a casino club inside.
Affectionately nicknamed 'the Shakey,' the Fraser Street venue was taken over by the Robley Group which had renamed it the Shakespeare Club and invested heavily in its refurbishment. It experienced two fires before it closed its doors for good in the 1970s, but in its heyday acts such as Tommy Cooper, Bob Monkhouse, Bruce Forsyth and Tom Jones performed there, with local personality and DJ Pete Price as the compere.
Pickwicks
Pickwicks was one of several clubs in Merseyside owned by body-building champion Terry Phillips. Terry ran a gym and later went on to become a Knowsley councillor, serving for both the Conservatives and Labour.
According to Jade Wright's Dirty Stop Outs Guide to 1970s Liverpool, it is said to have had a massive dancefloor with booths and a huge bar along the back wall. Cabaret nights and an over 25s disco also took place there.
Join our Liverpool memories and history Facebook group here.
The Hollywood
For years, clubgoers would get dressed to the nines to head to the Hollywood nightclub on Duke Street, which was opened in the late 1970s by stylist Herbert Howe and business partner Jonny Malloy. The city centre club boasted black and white walls, Hollywood memorabilia and photographs as well as a cocktail bar with film-themed drinks and glasses decorated with pink sugar.
Over the years, the Hollywood welcomed famous faces such as Jermaine Jackson, Teena Marie, Sister Sledge, Jim Kerr from Simple Minds and Spandau Ballet, as well as Liverpool bands Frankie Goes To Hollywood and China Crisis. It changed ownership twice in the 1980s and the ECHO understands it officially closed around the 1990s.
Kirklands
When Kirklands opened on Hardman Street in 1975 it heralded a new era for Liverpool's night scene, quickly establishing itself as the place to be for a night out in the city. The building was a bakery until the 1970s, known as Kirkland Jennings.
The bar continued to run in the 1990s, but closed its doors for good in 1999. It was re-opened in March 2004 as The Fly in the Loaf.
For more nostalgia stories, sign up to our Liverpool Echo newsletter here.
The Royal Tiger Club
The popular Royal Tiger Club once existed on Manchester Street close to the mouth of the Queensway Tunnel. In her book, Jade Wright said "it was frequented mainly by journalists from the nearby ECHO and Daily Post offices on Victoria Street and, for some reason, professional footballers, their wives, managers, and occasionally, musicians such as jazz icons Kenny Ball and Acker Bilk."
The latest series of Memory Lane is in major retailers including Asda, Tesco, Home Bargains and selected newsagents now. This series of the bumper picture special looks at fun in the sun - with stunning photographs and treasured memories of family holidays from years gone by. You can also buy Memory Lane online here.
Mardi Gras
The Mardi Gras on Mount Pleasant opened its doors to Merseyside teenagers on September 28, 1957. The club’s walls were decorated with Beat City murals by Liverpool artist Bob Percival and it was later used for location shots in a Rank feature film in 1964.
Originally a church, the building was was demolished in 1975. The Beatles, the Big Three, Gerry and the Pacemakers and Cilla Black are also said to have gone there.
To find out more about the Dirty Stop Outs Guide to 1970s Liverpool, click here.
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
Read Next:
- Unassuming telephone box people travel across the world to see
- 'Loved' Liverpool restaurant customers still miss today
- Liverpool nightclub that 'rose from the ashes' to be burned again
- The city centre building that has survived for 220 years
- Fascinating history of Penny Lane pub The Dovedale Towers with links to The Beatles and Queen
