Legendary Greater Manchester nightclub which was one of Britain's longest-running set for demolition

It has played host to the likes of Sir Elton John and Eric Clapton as well as generations of party-goers

A nightclub that was one of the country's longest-running and which saw the likes of Sir Elton John and Eric Clapton grace its stage is set to be demolished.

The Bamboo in Hazel Grove, known to locals as 'The Boo', opened in the early 1960s and has gone down in Stockport folklore after playing host to generations of party-goers.

However, it has now permanently shut and an application has been made to Stockport Council for approval to flatten the building on London Road.

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It is unclear when the venue closed its doors for the final time but documents supporting the application say it was 'in use until recently. Also in the documents, an agent for the applicant Simon Beeley said the reason for the demolition was: "Redevelopment at some point. Buildings are no longer in use."

Barring council intervention they say demolition with an excavator will begin on January 10 and last just under two months, being completed on February 28.

The club was originally opened in October 1961 by brothers John and Clive Beeley as a jazz club. The pair opened up as backup to their father James’s successful catering business, but it eventually became the mainstay of the Beeley’s business empire.

The venue was crammed full of clubbers throughout the 70s, 80s and 90s. It was open till 3am at weekends but signs telling would-be punters it was full regularly went up much earlier.

All the big names from the world of Jazz from Blues legend Jimmy Witherspoon and the Gordon Robinson Septet to Acker Bilk played shows there as did Sir Elton John, when he was aged just 16, Eric Clapton and Rod Stewart, Black Sabbath, Mud and Sweet.

Speaking to the M.E.N in 2018, John's son Simon Beeley, who took over the reins from his dad and uncle put the enduring success of of the venue, which had four bars, down to ‘location, location, location.'

“There is no other club for miles and miles," he said. "It’s been a fiver to get in for as long as any of us can remember and the alternative for clubbers is probably £60 or £70 in a cab to Manchester. That’s why we get people through the door."

His son Chris added: "It’s almost a cult thing going to The Bamboo - we get people leaving on a weekend, saying the place is crap, but you know they’ll be back next weekend."

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