Sankeys, the Manchester clubbing institution that opened as Sankeys Soap in 1994, has been forced to has close with immediate effect. The shock announcement posted on Sankeys’ official social media accounts explains that the owners of Beehive Mill — which houses the club — have sold it “to a residential property developer who intends to turn it into apartments”.
“With that, it is with great regret and with a very heavy heart, we must close Sankeys Manchester with immediate effect,” the message continues, noting that the Ancoats area around the club has been flooded with new apartment blocks, and concluding “we have done well to fend off the developers for so long”.
Clubbers and DJs alike have lamented this latest blow to UK nightlife on social media, with Danny Rampling tweeting: “huge loss to #Manchester #nightlife and night city time #economy. Played some great nights over the years @SankeysMCR“.
@Sankeys_Mcr gutted for you… had some great nights there…… have still got original 1st flyer, surprised it’s still intact 🙂 pic.twitter.com/lnpP1J7ua9
— CP (@parris_photo) January 13, 2017
While the Ancoats venue may now be off-limits, the Sankeys team write that they are “looking at a few options in terms of a new venue to replicate the legendary Basement and Spektrum [areas of the club]” in Manchester. “We will also be running a series of pop-up events inclusive of existing bookings and shows yet to be released, the first of which is Sonny Fodera at Gorilla on the 11th February.”
Sankeys East, the brand new Essex-way London outpost of the club (it’s in Romford), posted defiantly, “We will not stand by whilst they take this [country’s] dancefloors one by one,” and adding cryptically, “On the 19th January, everything will change. Search ‘Sankeys’ and your nearest city on Facebook now… all will become clear next Thursday”. Sankeys also has clubs in Ibiza and Tokyo, with another venue set to open in Birmingham in March 2017.
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Text Charlotte Gush