Words By Isabella Gaywood
When first visiting The White Hotel, it’s hard to imagine you’ve got the right location. As you move past Strangeways, otherwise known as the “most violent” men’s jail in England and Wales, you arrive at a sketchy car park and hear the sound of the same dog always barking. You then head through the smoking area, permeating plumbing issues and rancid stench, before heading inside – only then do you realise you’ve found somewhere quite special.
Named after D.M. Thomas’ 1981 psychological novel, following the erotic journey of Sigmund Freud’s imagined patient, White Hotel is a former auto repair shop converted into an atmospheric venue blending industrial charm with surrealist aesthetics. It’s hard to remember everything inside, due to its dark and gloomy aesthetic, so you lie in bed the next morning thinking – did I really see that? Particularly due to the clubs strict no cameras policy, there’s nothing to recollect your memory with.
White Hotel is a phantasmagoria of white mannequins, a bar made from a converted pool table, psychotropic projections, one in-house piano, a rumoured Tardis and people dancing everywhere. The toilets, which you will most likely queue at least ten minutes for, are lacquered in graffiti. Read along the thought-provoking scrawls telling you “no one’s got there shit together” as you take a piss. The single uncovered mirror space is only big enough to see your eyes, echoing all the eyeballs in Fritz Lang’s Metropolis. Or maybe I’d taken too much.
Manchester is dripping in music history, from the explosive days of Sankeys to the iconic Hacienda, that anyone down South when they hear that you’re studying in Manchester, will ask if you’ve been yet. Not quite, you’ll reply. In the present day, the raving scene has only proliferated. The giant that is Warehouse Project, was born from an old air raid shelter, turned carpark and converted every single weekend to host events before reconverting back to a car park the next day. Sacha Lord, Night Time Economy Adviser for Greater Manchester, and the mind behind Warehouse Project and Park Life emphasises in his latest book Tales from the Dancefloor (2024), how imperative smaller dance venues such as Soup, Hidden, and The White Hotel are for sounding out up and coming acts, before feeding them into Depot Mayfield (the warehouse that is The Warehouse Project).
Rumoured to have roots in the illegal raves at Strangeway Studios, White Hotel’s official origin begins under a different name, called Fuhrer Bunker in Unit 3 Dickinson Street. In 2013, Fuhrer Bunker changed its name to The Bunker, before eventually moving to Unit 1 as The White Hotel we know it as today. The independent Salford label SWAYS Records was involved in the genesis of White Hotel, connected through regional director Benjamin Ward and artistic director Austin Collings.
In the artistic director’s own words, “it’s an institution, in that it should be sponsored by the NHS.”
It quickly assembled a cult following with its intimate space and eclectic aesthetic, later being ranked the 66th best nightclub worldwide. Known for its experimental scene, The Guardian published a list of post-punk artists from Anz to Space Afrika, Blackhaine to Sockethead, and Indiana to Michael J Blood whose success can be traced to “the nurturing influence of The White Hotel”. It’s a microcosm of the dance scene that has had a universal butterfly effect.
Alongside evening gigs, the club typically opens at midnight and won’t shut until 7 in the morning. People come here after partying at neighbouring club Hidden, wanting more of that all-night rave energy. The walk home in the sunlight is often one of absolute wonder and fear of returning to normal life. White Hotel’s weird and wonderful feel is an inspiring contrast from the bland gentrification of Manchester’s fresher-magnet nightclubs such as Factory and Ark. To top it off, the resident ravers and security are particularly friendly and welcoming. There are no bouncers power-tripping here on the one time of the day they are allowed to feel important, contributing to an all-round safer and more inclusive feel.
“TWH doesn’t even pretend it’s not for profit,” Collings explained in a 2017 Vice article. “We are purposefully sinking ourselves into debt and destruction.”
It’s undeniable that the geniuses behind The White Hotel care a lot about bringing something unique to Manchester’s night life. From carefully curated events, often giving lesser-known DJs their first sets whilst, to their Instagram page (@m3_7lw) which literally feels like flicking through a book. It’s understandable why White Hotel is such an established venue in the underground dance scene.
I would truly argue that any night at The White Hotel is guaranteed to be memorable. I’ve probably been too much in my three years studying here at Manchester, and not once have I left feeling it fell short of that “White Hotel experience”. Prices typically range from £20 – £30, so it is on the pricier side, but it’s absolutely worth it. Note they only take cash on the door if you haven’t bought a ticket online – only once I have done the trek to the nearest cash point, and never again.
The alternative dance space is known for their avant-garde nights – the re- enactment of the funeral of Princess Diana soundtracked by a Mariachi band is just one of the unorthodox performances in White Hotel’s history. The club has hosted huge names at past events such as Jamie xx, Japanese Breakfast, Kelly Lee Owens and Joe Goddard (which was just in November of this year). They also run LGBTQIA+ nights like ‘Freak Queer Rave’ which will be hosted again at Secret Warehouse this New Year’s Eve, with the first ticket release already sold out.
Vice also described in 2017 how “the people that run these venues have got the right attitude… They’re fellow clubbers, music lovers themselves. It’s done with some heart and some passion.”
My personal favourite night of the year so far was Bakk Heia’s 8th Birthday with Melina Serser, Richard Gregory and Bitzer + Herc (18/10/24). Melina’s set was composed with psychedelic selections, drawing from cosmic dub, nag champa downtempo, freakish electronics and space jazz. The atmosphere in the crowd was unbeatable and a reminder of the main reason why I love White Hotel – people really dance here. This lively atmosphere was ever-present at the Ordinary Friends night with Roi Perez and Nyra (20/09/24) for which I swiftly bought tickets for after seeing its tag line, “If you came to stand still, stand somewhere else”. Next month, on the 20th December, Ordinary Friends will be returning to The White Hotel presenting Optimo (Espacio), which is certain to be another unmissable event.
Another venue to check out is The White Hotel’s sister project, Peste. This bar meets bookshop meets record fair is based just off Great Ancoats Street. Still keeping with the industrial meets alternative edge, Peste hosts a range of events from poetry readings to DJ sets. Check out their Instagram (@ad_england), a collection of trance-inducing edits of Liz Truss and avant-garde collages, to see more.
Recent reports have stated that Salford Council is investigating The White Hotel for operating without the correct planning permission, confirmed with the following statement: “The council has received a complaint, and the Planning Enforcement Team are investigating. At this stage it is inappropriate to comment further.”
Between June 2020 and June 2024, the UK lost 480 nightclubs, averaging 10 closures per month—or 2 per week. Alarmingly, the pace of closures has increased in 2024. Between December 2023 and June 2024, 65 nightclubs shut down, equating to 11 closures per month—or 3 per week. Iconic venue Café Blah in Withington was forcibly closed last month over rent disputes, evicting the owners from their rented premises, resulting in huge backlash. Legendary venues Motion in Bristol and Boom in Leeds have announced that they are both being forced to shut their doors in 2025. London’s world-famous gay club Heaven has just lost its appeal to reopen after their license was suspended after 28 days. With venues being closed up and down the UK, spaces as important as The White Hotel need to be protected.
However, The White Hotel spoke to The Mill in response to these reports stating, “We have a good working relationship with the council and confirm we operate in accordance with all necessary legal requirements.” The individual calling themselves ‘The Attorney’ continued, “We’ve got new projects afoot working across a new medium.” If The White Hotel is deemed to have been operating without a full license, they could be backlogged with 8 years of fees, potentially amounting at thousands.
Hopefully, The White Hotel will continue as the beacon that it is for the dance scene, as places like this are becoming increasingly few and far in-between. Even if raving isn’t really your thing, I implore you to attend White Hotel just once, even if it’s just to find the rumoured hidden Tardis.
