Pubs of Manchester

All pubs within the city centre and beyond.
A history of Manchester's hundreds of lost pubs.

Thursday, 8 April 2010

Slack Alice, Bootle Street


Slack Alice, Bootle Street. (c) Manchester District Music Archive.

When he took over the York Club in the 1960s, this was the first of George Best's bars (the other being Oscars, now the still open Tiger Lounge), the above flyer being from about 1967, when Best was arguably at his, erm, best for the red half of Manchester.  Sadly Best took his love of bars and drinking too far - during his playing days, along with many other footballers, but also following his early retirement.   His sad and high-profile fall from grace ended for good when he couldn't stop boozing despite receiving a liver transplant.  Slack Alice the venue is still going, previously as the Zoo, Playpen, and Samantha's, and these days as the 42nd Street nightclub.

Playpen, Bootle Street. (c) MDMArchive.

Pubs of Manchester guest reviewer, 'Tick Tock', remembers this place as the Zoo back in the early '80s before it became the Playpen.  "If I remember correctly you had to go upstairs to it.  It was a small club and I remember they had a tiny circular dance floor which was lit from underneath (a bit like in Saturday Night Fever)."

42nd Street, Bootle Street. (c) myvillage.

8 comments:

  1. I remember this place as the Zoo back in the early 80s before it became the Playpen. If I remember correctly you had to go upstairs to it. It was a small club and I remember they had a tiny circular dance floor which was lit from underneath (a bit like Saturday Night Fever).

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  3. My mum worked there in the 70s and chef and waitress, remember as a little girl sitting on his knee, lovely man

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  4. I don't think the flyer shown at the top of the page is from 1967. George Best and his business partners didn't open Slack Alice 'til about 1973/74.

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  5. My mum dad Margaret Hall and John lawson Hall work here but prior to that worked at Ruben's Manchester then move on with George malcom and Colin to Oscars remember all the clubs as a child in the 70s bless my parents who are no longer with us xxx

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  6. I worked on this club when i was 20 years old and a shopfitter george was always there a great man and used my saws on opening night with his partner Colin burn great memories

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