Rotters, Oxford Street, 1980s. (c) stagedoor at flickr.
For people in the 40-ish age bracket, Rotters probably evokes fond memories as a pulling place despite it being a bit of a tip. With its large dance floors, electrified ale and over-cautious bouncers, this wasn't the best club in town, but one which was popular with many and one of the first real cattlemarket type clubs. The club had two rooms from memory, one with a long bar in, with seating and dance floor in the other room. A large theatre type staircase also swept its way grandly up to the toilets situated in the first floor, bizarrely sat well out of the way of the bouncers sight and therefore a regular point of kick-offs. Indeed if you were lucky (?) you could find yourself tumbling down the stairs as a full scale brawl erupted behind you! Closed at the beginning of the '90s, this is still a part of Manchester's history, and well worthy of a mention on here.
As the above flyer suggests, originally Rotters was the Gaumont Theatre, opened in 1935 on the site of the just demolished Hippodrome Theatre on the same site. It was a lavish theatre seating 2,300, with a double height entrance, mirror-lined foyer and a grand central staircase leading to the 1,000-capacity circle [1] (the very same stairs that led to the toilets in Rotters!). In the basement was the Gaumont Long Bar. The exterior was in Italian Renaissance style with a huge neon display, reminiscent of an American theatre (probably why the Long Bar was so popular with Yank servicemen). The Gaumont was one of Manchester's most popular theatres but it closed suddenly in 1973 until it reopened as a first floor, ground floor and basement club, Romanoffs. It quickly became Rotters with its fake ceiling hiding the glorious old cinema fittings.
The Gaumont Long Bar also closed and as the photo below shows, did at one time become another public house, The Place Next Door.
Sadly, in their wisdom Manchester City Council felt that what was needed was less fantastic old buildings and more car parks so the Gaumont and Rotters were demolished in the '90s.
Thankfully, the Wurlitzer organ on display in the Gaumont Theatre is still in use today at Folly Farm in South Wales, having been previously in display at the Granada Studios Tours (closed) then owned by the Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust [2].
God that brings back memories. It could be pretty rough though. I was in Rotters once when someone got stabbed in the neck on that grand staircase and the blood went everywhere.
ReplyDeleteThe Gaumont was also home to one of the UK's finest Wurlitzer organs which was broadcast regularly in it's heyday. Fortunately the organ was removed from the building before it was demolished and is now used daily to entertain the many visitors of Folly Farm, Tenby, South Wales. www.folly-farm.co.uk
ReplyDeleteIt's good to know a little part of Manchester's history lives on, albeit some distance away! As the Folly Farm websites say, the organ was previously at Granada Studios until the Tour closed, then owned by the Lancastrian Theatre Organ Trust.
ReplyDeleteI remember Lewis Collins from the Proffesionals doing a persanal appearance in Rotters in the 80s surrounded by some models ,loved that place x
ReplyDeleteI was there when Lewis Collins appeared as well lol and met him,I was in Rotters nearly every night from late 70s until mid 80s lots of us on dancefloor near dj booth,even went on back of a truck with lots of free beer promoting Rotters on a Manchester Parade,great Memories
DeleteI lived Rotters.
ReplyDeleteLoved not lived 😂
ReplyDeleteIt was Romanoff's before Rotters the carpet had a big "R" all over it so they had to name it something beginning with R. I loved that place in the 70s and very early 80s take me back in time for a Saturday night please ❤️
ReplyDeleteGreat night out chicken and chips in a basket busting some moves to Michael Jackson lol
ReplyDeleteA regular in the eighties ...always chatting up Jackie at the bar....she was a milf and a great people person!
ReplyDeleteThe loudest concert I’ve ever been to. And I’ve seen them all. Slade 1981. They had the gear for the large venues but were just fulfilling obligations after Reading before they went back to bigger venues in the new year - Manchester Apollo being one of them
ReplyDeleteGreat place.. Loved the old settee at the bottom of the stairs. Lol.
ReplyDeleteMy first ever nightclub experience in July 1987 and every Saturday thereafter until I joined the Navy. Loved every minute.
ReplyDelete