‘Share memories’ call over nightclub scene

Neil Anderson is researching a book on the 1990s night scene, the era that heralded the dance music explosion and saw Sheffield being hailed as one of the UK’s party capitals.

He said: “The pace of change was unprecedented.

“At one point it seemed that every empty building was being eyed up as a potential venue – former banks, fitness suites, cinemas, engineering works were all transformed into venues, there was hardly a structure in Sheffield that wasn’t considered fair game.”

The era was a huge change from the early 90s, Mr Anderson said, when thousands of the city’s young people opted for the bright lights of rival cities such as Manchester, Leeds and Nottingham at weekends instead.

He added: “The £1.4m Republic venue became the first new nightclub to open in Sheffield in years when it finally opened its doors in 1995 after three years of court battles and appeals.

“It opened the floodgates to a wealth of new clubs and bars with Sheffield becoming nationally renowned for dance nights such as Gatecrasher, Love to be, Rise and more.”

But then things changed, Mr Anderson said: “By the end of the decade things had gone full circle as the relaxation in licensing laws blurred the lines between bars and traditional nightclubs and many venues shut altogether.

“The 1990s saw the end of more than a few after-dark institutions.”

People who wish to contribute to the book, titled the Dirty Stop Out’s Guide to 1990s Sheffield, have been asked to join Facebook group of the same name and upload their memories and photographs.