Where love
dren and seven greatgrandchildren.
He said: “The Carlton will always be close to my heart. The night I met my wife we were just hanging around and I spotted her so I asked her to dance.
“We courted for two years then married and we were together for 54 years.”
But when Bill Haley, Elvis Presley and rock ‘n’ roll came along, the days of the big bands were numbered. The writing was on the wall for ballrooms up and down the country. The Carlton was no exception, closing its doors in the 1970s.
Like many former dance halls, the venue reopened as a bingo hall. But in 1989 disaster struck when a fire tore through the building, closing the venue for another five years.
●●THE Carlton reborn
In 1995, the Carlton rose once more from the ashes when two businessmen, Mike Foy and Ged Clark, refurbished the building.
News the legendary venue was about to be reopened by two entrepreneurs caused great excitement for former customers, with the Rochdale Observer noting: “If the Carlton - sometime bingo hall, long-time eyesore - could be brought back to its former glory, why shouldn’t its former patrons have a new lease of life too?
“The enterprise became more of a crusade.
“Hundreds of Rochdale folk were talking about it, visiting the site as if it were some sort of shrine, congratulating their ‘heroes’ who were prepared to take on the challenge of getting it back up and running.”
The re-opening night of the Carlton was a spectacular event with queues stretching back to the Champness Hall in Drake Street. Rochdale Observer reporter, Ian Ogden, attended the opening and gave a glowing review of the music, performed by a big band, and the refurbishment of the venue.
Ian described the Carlton not just a ballroom but an ‘institution’ that played an important part in many people’s lives, adding the new ballroom itself was ‘much the same’ and tastefully decorated.
One absence, however, were the signs that used to be on either side of the bandstand warning dancers that ‘jiving was not allowed’.
The refurbished New Carlton featured in the hit TV series Sex, Chips and Rock ‘n’ Roll set in the 60s, and brought with it hopes of a ballroom revival - but it wasn’t to be. As Ian later wrote, the venue instead became a popular Friday night disco - until it closed again in 1999.
●●ONE last dance
In November 1999, the same owners reopened the venue following a £830,000 refurbishment as Liquid Rock. The old dance hall was now transformed into a state-ofthe-art nightclub, with a new central bar, two
dancefloors, DJ booth and DVD video screens - a far cry from its old ballroom splendour.
Aiming for the over-25s’ market with a ‘Chicago rock-style’ atmosphere, it was hoped the investment and refurbishment would turn Liquid Rock into a big success.
Co-owner Michael Foy said: “It is a radical change and forward thinking means we will be operating as an American style rock venue with the hope that this development makes us the premier club in Rochdale.”
Liquid Rock went on to become a popular venue in the town, loved by a new generation of music lovers who loved to dance - albeit not the twist.
But, following reports of a number of incidents, including an alleged shooting, at the club in 2006, a magistrate ordered
the venue to close.
Despite its problems and its modern facelift, it seems the old dance hall hadn’t lost its touch when playing Cupid. On a post about Liquid Rock on the Rochdale Living Memories Facebook page in 2019, many people shared their memories, including couples who said their eyes first met on its dancefloor.
One woman tagging her partner, said: “Where it all began... 13 years ago”. Another posted Liquid Rock was ‘Where your dad proposed to me in our younger days.’ Some posted of having their first date at the club, while others just remembered great nights spent there when they were younger.
In 2007, the venue where romance had once sparkled for so many couple, finally came to an end. The building had
been hit by vandals and become increasingly derelict since its closure the
previous year, and the old dance hall and nightclub was shattered by the
wrecking ball, and with it, countless Rochdale hearts.