It may have closed in 1997, but The Haçienda and its spirit have become synonymous with Manchester’s musical and cultural history.
At the forefront of music and youth culture in the 80s and early 90s, the legendary venue unleashed the acid house and rave scene, brought us bands like New Order via Tony Wilson’s Factory Records, and influenced many others, including Oasis.
But it wasn’t just about Manchester. Named “The Most Famous Club In The World” by Newsweek Magazine, The Haçienda’s influence extended across the globe.
45 years of The Haçienda
Now, as The Haçienda prepares to celebrate its 45th birthday, we spoke to Peter Hook, DJ Paulette and Graeme Park to find out what it was really like to be part of it.
Graeme Park
“The Haçienda was so popular everywhere because there was nothing else like it,” says Haçienda resident and house pioneer Graeme Park.
“It was kind of like the blueprint for everything else that followed.
“The guys that set up Cream used to come to The Haçienda and said, ‘we want to do this in Liverpool’. Similarly, the guys who set up Ministry of Sound came along, also Renaissance.
“The whole of the London record industry used to come up to Manchester on a Friday night because they wanted to hear the tracks that Mike [Pickering] and I played and sign them for their labels. People travelled from all over.
“It was like a Mecca for hedonism, really.
“You didn’t have to dress up, there were no rules on the door, and Mike and I played records you just couldn’t hear anywhere else at the time.
“People flocked to the Hacienda to escape, and they lost their minds.”
Dj Paulette
DJ Paulette says she was desperate to be a part of the club.
“My first encounter with The Haçienda? It’s funny, it was before I was working for Piccadilly Radio. I really wanted to come to a night here, so I lied and said I was a journalist writing a feature on it,” she laughed.
“I got in on a complete blag.
“Then I was there all the time. I managed to get a lifetime membership. I used to drag everyone there.”
Before The Haçienda, people went to clubs depending on what music they were into, and dressed to fit, says Graeme.
“At The Haçienda, all those rules went out of the window.
“You had barristers dancing next to cleaners, next to nurses, next to football hooligans, next to accountants… all together. Nobody cared, everyone just got on as one happy family.”
The Haçienda is so important, culturally speaking, because it changed the landscape of clubbing in the UK and beyond, believes Graeme.
“It was the first of its kind. And it’s had such an effect on people. People met their life partners at The Haçienda. Or maybe they met someone else and got a new partner.
“I’ve had people tell me their children were actually conceived at The Haçienda, or after a night there.”
DJing at Flesh every month was memorable in its own right, says DJ Paulette.
“You brought your A-game. The Haçienda was special anyway, but Flesh was multiplied, it was so colourful, it was about being out and safe and happy.
“The building was iconic. The DJs became superstar DJs, and legends themselves. It keeps evolving, it never ended.
“It was a cultural and creative hub and melting pot.
“It’s hard to quantify how many people The Haçienda has touched. It’s about so much more than just the club.”
Peter Hook
Peter Hook agrees said: “You can still see the legacy the club had on music, culture and fashion.
“I don’t think we’ll see the like of it again. It was a revolution,” said Peter.
“The Haçienda managed post-punk, Acid House, and Madchester – and they went right round the world.
“To be in one place at the right time was pretty good, but to be in as many as I was – Factory Records, Joy Division, New Order and The Haçienda – was f***ing amazing.
“The legacy for me is about inclusivity. About being open to doing anything, with anybody – and reaping the benefits of being nice.
“These moments have been so special in my life, and we’re so lucky to now have another one.
“Another rave, in a car park, in Manchester – and streaming globally, too.”
Tickets for The Haçienda Classical at Castlefield Bowl
Missed out in the 80s?
You can catch The Haçienda Classical at Castlefield Bowl on Saturday the 5th of July 2025.
You can get tickets by clicking here
