PARTY PEOPLE: HOW THE HACIENDA DIED

Thomas Barker tells the story of how the Haçienda made Manchester’s nightlife what it is today.

By Thomas Barker

Whenever one mentions Manchester, a discussion about its contribution to British music is sure to follow. Legendary groups such as Joy Division, New Order, Oasis, and Happy Mondays call Greater Manchester home. Without the city, would these bands have ever come to light? Manchester wasn’t the home of music until the 1980s. Before then, this title belonged to London’s glittering West End. But once the Haçienda arrived,

Manchester became known as a centre for music. Here’s how. Tony Wilson and Rob Gretton were already famous in the industry, building a friendship and buisness partnership through Factory Records cords - the indie label that New Order, James, and Happy Mondays called home. These men envisioned a social institutionbursting with civic pride, a so-called “cathedral” honouring Manchester’s youth.

This mighty project had no name, until Wilson - sipping coffee in his Factory Records office - read the most important line in deciding Manchester’s music history: “The hacienda must be built”. From a humble Situationist International slogan, they found the best vessel with which to carry their idea.

But why did the Haçienda transform

Manchester into a centre for music?

The Haçienda proved that clubs could be successful in Manchester, a city that - until that point -preferred to rely on its manufacturing industry for revenue. After all, queues to get in the club snaked around Whitworth Street, even on the weekdays, when few ventured into the city on account of its lacklustre offer of alternative venues.

Madonna’s first performance in the UK was at the Haç, and it was one of the first venues to play House music in 1986. It reached a crescendo in July 1988, with the introduction of its pioneering Ibiza night - “Hot” - the success of which spurred the growth of the ‘Madchester’ scene. However, its popularity offered no protection against the nefarious reality of Madchester. The Haçienda found itself losing money; it was never able to make a profit fromalcohol sales, with punters chasing the newest highs in the nineties - namely ecstasy - rather than buying expensive beverages. In 1997, the Haç was forced to close its doors for good, and with it a vibrant chapter in Manchester’s history concluded. Today, remnants of the nightclub can still be found across Manchester. The Haçienda has now settled for a white-collar existence, its name and location re-appropriated as a selling point for luxury apartments. Perhaps not the outcome Tony Wilson envisioned for his “cathedral” to Manchester’s youth.

Artefacts from the Haçienda were exhibited in the British Pop Archive, from a first birthday poster to a pair of Haçienda branded shoes. The British Pop Archive contained a trove of fragments from across Manchester’s music scene. It was held at Manchester’s John Rylands Library in 2023—a must-visit for its photogenic architecture. With enough demand, the archive could return, so you too could have the chance to see these relics yourself.

While the Haçienda is gone for good, its legacy still permeates through the fabric of Manchester. In some ways, without the Haçienda, the music venues we take for granted would not exist as they do today.

Now, it is up to the next generation of students to revive the Haçienda night. So why not read our carefully curated list of the best clubs to visit in Manchester? Turn the page to find out more! Did you know?

Salford’s very own Peter Hook, New Order’s bassist, scavenged planks from Haçienda’s dancefloor to create six bass guitars.