Troubled Liverpool nightclub where Saturday nights were ‘always a big one’

It is more than 30 years since a troubled nightclub opened in Liverpool city center where Saturday nights were “always a big one”.

In the early 1990s, commuters waved goodbye to Ribble Bus Station on Skelhorne Street, near Lime Street Station, and welcomed a new nightclub. In 1992 Buzz officially opened in the city center in what was “one of the biggest entertainment and business developments seen in Liverpool for some years”.

Merseyside nightclub owners Fallows were behind the derelict club before its makeover. Welcoming thousands of clubbers throughout the 90s, many will remember heading there for a night out or passing by on their commute to and from work.

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But the club – and the latest business that followed – was not without problems. In its time, the site itself has been at the center of a number of incidents involving violence, drug use and certain licenses being revoked.

On 18 February 1992, the Liverpool Daily Post reported: “The old Skelhorne Street bus station – which closed over two years ago – is now home to The Buzz nightclub, the first phase of a 6m development which will eventually include a conference center and 105-bed Hotel Nightclub opens next week, while the upstairs conference center is due to open at the end of June.

“Merseyside nightclub owners Fallows are behind plans to regenerate one of Liverpool’s most iconic sites, although they hope to hand the hotel site over to a separate developer. If all goes according to plan, the hotel could be open by the end of the year. In total, the three parts of the development will create 180 jobs.”

At the time, Geoff Fallows said: “This site has been derelict for two years and a lot of work and money has been needed to redevelop it. We were keen to invest once more in Liverpool and we believe it will add another dimension to the city’s nightlife. center.”

Remember Buzz from Skelhorne Street? Let us know in the comments section below.

Buzz DJ and promotions manager John Cotton explained that the plush 1,000-capacity club offered a 127-space car park and a 15-kilowatt sound system was installed along with lights at a cost of £350,000.

Many will remember nights at Buzz Nightclub over the years. In its early days, the site was very popular among clubbers.

A few weeks after opening in March 1992, the team published a short notice in the ECHO apologizing for not being able to let more clubbers in. It reads: “Buzz directors and management would like to apologize to the 400 people who were turned away on Friday and Saturday nights.

“Unfortunately the club was full to its legal capacity and we had no choice but to look at the doors. We hope this doesn’t spoil the weekend too much and we look forward to seeing you all this weekend.”

At one point, Monday nights at the Buzz were known as student night, with half-price entry for those studying in the city. Thursdays were known as City FM nights, Fridays were disco night and Saturdays were a “massive dance party”.

In 2012 DJ Lee Butler, who worked at Buzz, was featured in the ECHO alongside others who were part of Liverpool’s 90s nightclub boom. At the time, he said: “I left the state and was at Buzz for 12 months.

“The Buzz Club, in Skelhorne Street, hosted Best of British all-nighters and The Radio City on Thursday nights. It was never taken as seriously as the other clubs in Liverpool.”

He added: “But Saturday nights were always a big one. Radio City nights were a legendary night in Liverpool.”

Over the next decade, the site became known as Zub, Metro and then Pulse. But over the years, the club has been quite troubled, being at the center of several incidents.

These included a catalog of violent incidents and drug use, as well as various revoked licenses. In 2001, arsonists caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to the Pulse nightclub and 30 firefighters battled through the night to put out the flames.

The building has since been demolished. In recent years, the area around Skelhorne Street and Lime Street has undergone a lot of redevelopment.

Unseen for years, I recently rediscovered these images of the nightclub site from the last few years. They show what the site once looked like outside when it was in operation and what the building looked like before it was demolished.

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