The former Herriots, Quay Street. (c) googlemaps.
A sort of hotel come fitness club come nightclub bar, Herriots was a popular venue in the late '80s, at the Deansgate end of Quay Street, around the corner from the Old Grapes. Drinks would be taken in a circular bar which overlooked the swimming pool and leisure club below, good for the pervs and letches no doubt. Attached to this was a separate eating area (they used to do a lot of meal and clubbing deals) and a small night club. Places like this were everywhere in the '80s, maybe not with the swimming pool, but certainly within hotels trying to get extra outside trade. I suspect it's never really been missed since it closed in the early '90s.
The former Herriots, Quay Street. (c) googlemaps.
It wasn't a hotel, it was an upper class gymnasium, spa, nightclub/ restaurant aimed at money people & stars from Granada & BBC studios. I helped to build the place and later went on to work in the gym & swimming pool. It was the brainchild of local business man Michael Connaught, a very likable chap.
ReplyDeleteMy favoured place for relaxation way back when :-)
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DeleteI too remember Herriots with some nostagia. My company supplied the membership cards (hot foil style) and promotional leaflets and posters. My colleague and I called regularly to meet Mike Connaught, a likable chap who always squeezed the quote down and took ages to pay! He had a hotel by Trafford Bar too. At one stage an area was decorated to look like a tropical bar, with palm trees and plants. My artist colleague Frank got the envied job to paint the name of the bar on an attractively model girl's bust for publicity photographs! She refused at the last minute and Frank compromised by painting it across her back! Many more happy memories of the time.
ReplyDeleteGreat place - lovely people and unlike the original article above it WAS missed, it WAS VERY different - remember the stars from Granada Studios and the cast of the Opera House used to go there after work. Can the writer name many places where they had a special charity night meal with Muhammad Ali!!! The posts above are correct that it was not a hotel. However it was Mike Connett not Connaught. I was the lounge bar pianist/singer for a few years - Have a great day all!
ReplyDeletestuartbrown777@hotmail.com
This would have been 1983 . I would have known you at the time . I met Ali he was polite . Just one of the eventful times when I worked here
DeleteHave very fond memories of the place, a member for some years Mike and the staff were lovely,always welcoming. Somewhere one could truly relax.
DeleteI used to work on reception there in the mid 80's. It was a fab place and always buzzing. Nowhere quite like it nowadays. The owner was Mike Connett. A real character.
ReplyDeleteI used to work there working in the health club and teaching classes loved my job.and if anyone knows cath seddon who worked in the health club reception im trying to find her.natalie keenan(facebook) thankyou x
ReplyDeleteI helped to build the place to, really liked Mike Connaught great guy & his sister whose name escapes me, she was married to the lead singer of Sad Cafe. I worked as a life guard and gym instructor, enjoyed rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous from TV & football, some of the Man Utd team, Russel Harty, Joe Brown, the BBC people and lots of the cast from Corrie... John Norman
ReplyDeleteThe building was SUNLIGHT HOUSE built by Joseph Sunlight .
DeleteI used to go there a lot with a group of friends.
ReplyDeleteIt certainly was the place to go, for a fantastic night out.
This would often include very good meals, copious amounts of Dom Perignon, ridiculous dancing competitions, and the somewhat questionable sport of throwing someone in the pool, before returning upstairs to the nightclub.
The staff were excellent and always ready for fun.
The three main people behind it, as far as I am aware, were Mike, Graham and Barbara Connet, and of course their partners.
I apologise if the above is inaccurate, or their surname was wrongly spelled.
I found them always to be decent and fair people to be with.
Thanks to them , and all the people I used to know there, for many fantastic memories.
I was a member from day one and had my leaving party there in October 1991 (I left for South Africa). The Connett's were super people and ensured that every member was treated as part of the family. The doorman was Oliver who always received a little 'scotch' from me for his excellent delivery of "Good evening Mister Baines". I trained there most nights and spent every weekend in the bar or restaurant. It was a true treasure in it's day and the revival of it's memories please me. I met my wife there and we now have two wonderful daughters here in South Africa.
ReplyDeleteSorry, it was 1992 when I left.
DeleteI was the pianist in the Old Grapes, Monday to Friday, from autumn 1982 into 1983. The pub manager's name was Steve Corrigan. The decor included huge pictures of old Manchester on the walls, and they (sadly for me) didn't consider spending much on the piano! I was 18 when I started, and had just turned professional, so to fill up the 'week nights' was a dream come true. It rocked when the Granada crowd came in! I was sometimes required to play in the main Herriot's nightclub as well. If things dragged on late, Mike Connett (the boss) would even drive out of his way to take me home in his Rolls!
ReplyDeleteI went Herriots as youngster in the early 50's. It was just a swimming with food served on the balcony. I remember the main diving board and two small ones either side. A great place to swim.
ReplyDeletei worked there as a waiter over one christmas must of been the early 80s i remember think it was boxing day ken dodd played there and worked with a irish lad called peter duffy loved the job has anyone any idea what year
ReplyDeleteI was a regular in the early 80s until I left for the USA in 1984 where I still live. So many great times and memories.
ReplyDeleteHad my 18th there.
ReplyDeleteHer riots very kindly gave the wardrooms of HMS OLYMPUS and HMS ONSLAUGHT, two diesel submarines, free membership in 1981 when we visited Manchester having transited the Manchester Ship Canal. A great place.
ReplyDeleteI remember getting a free membership with my mate on the basis we got the disco going. After a lady (manager) interviewed us she showed us to the disco . It was quite full but no one was dancing .Twenty minutes later the floor was full and we got our passes.
ReplyDeleteSeem to remember the nite club featured topless girls swimming in the pool. (It was the 80's after all) Did a charity 'It's a knockout' in the pool with a team from Barclays. In aid of RNIB. Great fun and our team won!
ReplyDeleteI used to rent the pool for Pool Parties once a month for my Club (Spice) in the 1980s, then go into the night club afterwards. It was a great place and we were always well looked after.
ReplyDeleteIf anyone has any photos of when Mohammad Ali was there during the day time press conference I would love to hear from you. I was there and gave Ali a quick jab .. photos were taken but I've never been able to find any anywhere. fantastic.mr.fox@live.co.uk
ReplyDeleteI was a foreign student at Manchester University when I discovered Herriots. It was my go to place for Steam bath, swim, bar and club. Even had a party in the club then. Lost a mate today who used to join me at Herriots. Reminiscing about him led me to search online to keep in touch with memories.
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