A generation of Mancunian clubbers will remember having legendary nights out in Manchester in the 1970s. It was the decade that saw Grease hit cinemas, ABBA release Dancing Queen and flares and platforms become all the rage.
In Manchester, revellers spent their weekends dancing with friends and having a few drinks in places like Pips, the Auto Club, Slack Alice and more. Over the years, many venues from the era have closed their doors and are now confined to the history books.
But they live on in our memories - and in pictures from the era. Here, the M.E.N looks back on nine Manchester nightclubs and bars that we loved in the 1970s.
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This list isn't intended to be comprehensive, we've selected just a few popular venues in Manchester from the seventies. But if you feel there are some we should have included, let us know in the comments section.
Slack Alice
Slack Alice first opened on Bootle Street in 1973. It was launched by companions and later business partners, footballer George Best and celebrity hairdresser Malcolm Wagner.
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Explosion/Jackie's Explosion
Located on High Street, many will remember Manchester nightclub Explosion. In the book Dirty Stop Outs’ Guide to 1970s Manchester, former Piccadilly Radio youth presenter Rikki Wright said the venue had a VIP bar upstairs with a swing on the dancefloor.
She said: "It was a small discotheque with girls in hot pants dancing on coloured lights under a glass dancefloor. DJs included Tony Just, Greg Edwards, Cockney Derek and Hippy Rick."
What was your favourite Manchester nightclub to visit in the 70s? Let us know in the comments section below.
Pips
Located in a basement beneath Fennel Street behind the cathedral, Pips was frequented by members of Joy Division, Ian Brown, Morrissey and Johnny Marr and waves of Manchester style tribes. Opening in 1972, clubbers would venture through huge black double doors and down 20 or so steps to the four-room club.
Past the paying-in kiosk the club split into two. The upstairs room was to the left, but on the right, past the cloakroom, were stairs down to the commercial room - and past that lay the infamous Roxy room. Pips closed in 1982 and became Konspiracy later that decade.
Tiffany's
Tiffany's, at 27a Oxford Street was a Mecca nightclub. Rikki Wright said: " It was decorated in full-on tropical 70s style, complete with golden palm trees, and swing seats with canopies, giving it a holiday feel."
The venue, which had been the Plaza in the 1960s, also served chicken and chips in a basket and hosted Bowie nights on Sundays in the early 70s. Tiffany's was also decorated with disco balls.
Blinkers
From 1968 to 1978 Blinkers nightclub was owned and run by Bookie Selwyn Demmy. A haunt for famous faces, through the years Tom Jones, George Best and Mike Summerbee went there.
Located on King Street, the club only allowed visitors over the age of 21. In her book, Rikki Wright said: "It was named Blinkers due to the owners having links to horseracing."
Rotters/Romanoff's
There's now an NCP car park where the hugely popular Rotters stood on Oxford Road. Based in the old Gaumont Cinema, Rotters replaced Romanoff's nightclub in the late 70s and is remembered for its famously sticky carpets.
Cheap, cheerful and raucous, it was hugely popular. The building was demolished in 1990
Fagin's
Some of you might remember Jilly's better as Fagin's, which opened in 1970. It had a popular soul disco and booked many live acts.
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The Millionaire Club
The Millionaire Club - known to most simply as The Millionaire - was opened in the 70s by Peter Stringfellow. Located on Bridge Street, it was popular for stars and star spotters alike. It boasted a luxurious décor which included brass palm trees. The club soon became recognised across the city and beyond.
Auto Club
The Auto Club, Richmond Street , Manchester, was a late nightclub, located at the back of the Union pub on Canal Street. Rikki Wright wrote: "It was very well known as a 'secret' club, where regulars had to knock three times and ask to be let in.
"If handsome Jan, or one of the other doormen knew you, they'd let you in. if not, the door stayed closed. Decorated with hundreds of hubcaps and some giant spark plugs, the Auto Club was popular with local black cab taxi drivers who were more or less guaranteed entry." To find out more about Dirty Stop Outs’ Guide to 1970s Manchester, click here.
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