It's been 25 years since the city lost a nightspot that's now legendary for its incredible contribution to Manchester's status as a music mecca. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s , countless Manchester bands learned their craft on stage at The Boardwalk before finding stardom. Yet the musical heritage of the venue on Little Peter Street went back even further – long before big local bands like Oasis , James, The Inspiral Carpets, The Charlatans and Happy Mondays graced its stage.
In the 1940s, the building was the rehearsal space for the Halle Orchestra who had been bombed out of their usual digs at the Free Trade Hall. The Boardwalk, which dated back to 1876, also operated as a Sunday school before it opened as rehearsal studios and live music venue in 1984. It quickly became part of the emerging Madchester scene credited with kickstarting the rebirth of the city .
READ MORE: Manchester city centre's 'no man's land' is unrecognisable from its derelict past READ MORE: The 10 Most iconic and influential gigs ever to take place in Manchester Based on multiple floors, the Boardwalk's basement served as a rehearsal space where bands including James and Simply Red practised in the 1980s. Writing for the Manchester Evening News back in April 1986, acclaimed music writer Mick Middles visited The Boardwalk. Describing it as "Manchester's newest pub-hours music venue" with meticulous "hip" credentials, Mick wrote: "'This is the very heart of the Manchester scene,' says the voice to my .