Bolton's nightclubs of the past

We have taken a look at nightlife in years gone by in Bolton to see if we can evoke memories of the good old days.

Taking you all the way back to the roaring 20s, one of the most treasured historical locations in Bolton is the Astoria Palais de Danse.

Known locally as The Palais, Bolton's first club initially opened its doors on the corner of Bridge Street and St Georges Road on October 19, 1928.

The Palais had to close its doors in 1966 after a fire broke out, causing losses in the region of £1m.

The venue was reopened two years later as a bingo hall and disco called Cinderella Rockerfellas.

Multiple guises later, the final incarnation of the venue, Ikon, shut its doors one final time in January 2012, after a huge drop-off in trade. In 2017 the site was torn down by bulldozers, despite failed efforts to sell it.

In 1962, Eddie Grindrod founded a nautical-themed venue called The Beachcomber Coffee Bar in Bank Street, which became was the epicentre of night-time activity in Bolton through the 60s, 70s and 80s.

The Beachcomber Coffee Bar

Its popularity meant that Mr Grindrod and his business partners could expand into the cellars of the old dairy next door to launch The Dungeons.

The venue, which eventually changed its name to Cromwellian, hosted famous names such as Elton John and Rod Stewart before their celebrity status.

It later became The Playmate Club and then Maxwell's Plum.

Most recently the venue was known as the Late Club and Club Ice. The Late Club ceased trading in 2012.

Bolton's clubbing scene heyday saw the arrival of Atlantis, which was launched to a great fanfare.

Atlantis

The £5m venue was, at the time, Bolton's largest nightclub and had a 2,500 capacity. It boasted six bars, two dancefloors, a diner and a VIP lounge.

It opened in 1998, but had to close six years later due to financial difficulties after failing to attract enough clubbers due to its out-of-town location.