A SOCIAL club has revealed its star-studded past as host to a series of famous music acts in the swinging 60s - as it celebrates a major anniversary.

St Bernadette’s Social Club in Withington was the hottest ticket around where crowds could gather to get a glimpse and dance along to the hit songs of some of the most popular groups of the time – including Freddie and the Dreamers, Motown favourites The Four Tops, Gerry and the Pacemakers and the Searchers. The club became so well-known as a music venue that it almost secured an appearance by The Beatles at the height of Beatlemania – however, at the time staff at the club weren’t able to pay the steep booking fee.

Stanislawa Connaughton – who now runs St Bernadette’s Social Club with her husband John – said: "The club really built up a great reputation as one of the best music venues during the 1960s and attracted some of the biggest names in the music business at the time.

"They tried very hard to get The Beatles to appear, but at a cost of £100 and a club admittance fee of just one shilling, they could not afford the expense. The music events were so popular."

Now staff at the club are preparing to welcome back the 1960s headiness for a one-off event to celebrate their youth and football club’s 50th anniversary.

Stanislawa, who has worked at the club for the last 35 years, said: "We want to really go for it and try to recreate the ambience of the club in the 1960s.

"We’re going to have a DJ, who actually used to come to the club back in the 1970s, who will play all of the classic songs from the time.

"The stage where all of the bands used to play back in the 60s is still in tact, so we are hoping that it will bring back great memories for everyone.

"We want parishioners and members of the community to come along, as well as those people who used to come to the music events, to enjoy a night of memories, listening and dancing to the sounds of the 60s."

Alan Legg who will DJ on the night said: "I used to go to St Bernadette’s in the 70s and it was still really popular then. I’m looking forward to playing the old songs at the reunion, it will be a great night."

The 50th anniversary celebrations will take place on Friday, October 10, from 8pm until late.

Tickets can be purchased on the door, costing £3 per person and will include a buffet.