Liverpool nightclub open for eight months was…

Liverpool nightclub open for eight months was 'different from all the others in town'

A Liverpool nightclub open for only eight months was "different from all the others in town" at the time.

Beginning its life as The Belmont Road Picture House in 1914, one club, on Belmont Road, Anfield, was known to many as the Wooky Hollow club. The theatre and cabaret club was one of several clubs, along with Falcon's Crest in Formby and Pickwicks on Fraser Street near London Road, owned by the late body-building champion and former Knowsley councillor Terry Phillips and partner Frank Sharrock.

But in June 1981, the partners decided to sell up as they felt the salary demands made by topline artists were making it unprofitable. By the late 1980s, the club opened under a brand new name and whilst it was only open for eight months, experts claimed it was "different from all the others in town," the ECHO previously reported.

On June 28, 1989, the ECHO reported how brand new nightclub Bedrock was set to open its doors, boasting an American theme and catering for every age group, including families. The ground floor had an American-style wine bar, bistro and function room, whereas the nightclub and a Chinese restaurant was located upstairs.

At the time, Mr Stephen Fleury, the club's general manager, said: "We want it to be the best for miles around. We have planned for everything to be absolutely perfect on the opening night.

The owners and directors of Bedrock nightclub Wayne Winstanley and Pat Hills in front of the disco's £250,000 light and sound show. June 17, 1989 (Mirrorpix)

"And our aim is that when patrons return a year, two years, five years later, they will find that the service, the catering and everything is exactly as it was. We do not intend to let our standards drop in any way."

The club, which cost £750,000 to refurbish, opened for VIP guests in June that year and accommodated anything up to 750 people, with seating for a further 40 in the Chinese restaurant; and downstairs, another 400. There was also an enclosed playground on site for children.

Mt Fleury said: "We want to get away from the concept of burgers, pizzas, pie and chips. Our plan is to offer a much wider choice and also do a range of business lunches.

"We've already had bookings from two coach parties in Chester, who used to visit the old Wookey Hollow. They said they were looking forward to seeing all the changes we have brought about."

The Wookey Hollow, which was primarily a cabaret club, was destroyed by fire in 1981, months after recession had forced it to close. The shell of the old club was left to be transformed into Bedrock, seeing the site completely stripped down inside and rebuilt.

Many will have fond memories of visiting the nightclub in 1989 and 1990s. In many ways, all that lives on for Bedrock are clubbers and diners memories and a number of photos.

Disc jockey Pez (left) and manager Steve Fleury in the cocktail bar of the Bedrock nightclub. June 17, 1989 (Mirrorpix)

These images, courtesy of our archives Mirrorpix, capture the early days at Bedrock. One photograph shows disc jockey Pez and manager Steve Fleury in the cocktail bar, whereas another captures owners and directors of the Bedrock nightclub Wayne Winstanley and Pat Hills in front of the disco's £250,000 light and sound show.

But February 1990, almost a year after Bedrock opened, the ECHO reported how Liverpool's newest nightclub, The Wookey, was to open its doors. Barney's Rubble disco bar, which also operated supervised nights for younger people, being located on the ground floor.

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The year prior, the club was completely stripped down inside and rebuilt, now boasting plush carpets and beautiful parquet floors. In September 1995, firemen battled through thick smoke to fight a blaze at the site once more.

The club had been closed for some years and hit by vandal attacks. In later life, the building was altered to sell kitchen appliances, but the Wooky Hollow name lives on in the memories of all those who went there.

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