Manchester’s foundational Sankeys nightclub is teasing a comeback in its home city.
The Sankeys brand, which has lived on as a promoter and party series in the eight years since its flagship nightclub in the city’s Ancoats district closed, hinted at a return to Manchester in a post on Instagram yesterday.
“Hello Manchester… it’s been a while,” the company wrote, alongside a black and white image of its former space at Beehive Mill, the former cotton mill and soap factory that housed the venue from its underground beginnings as “Sankeys Soap” in 1994, to its growth into a powerhouse clubbing brand with venues in Ibiza, New York, Tokyo, and other global cities.
After several brief closures throughout its 23-year run, Sankeys Manchester finally closed for good in 2017, when Beehive Mill was sold and subsequently redeveloped into a luxury office and apartment space. The club’s other franchises around the world closed within the following year.
In the time since, Sankeys has remained active with several one-off events, including a 25-year anniversary festival in 2019. Its last event was held at London’s Studio 338 during the UK’s Bank Holiday weekend in 2023.
Though it remains unclear whether the cryptic message alludes to a permanent space or a simple tour stop, other moves from the brand might suggest something bigger than the many sporadic comebacks they’ve had down the years.
Sankeys has also notably updated its Instagram bio to “A Return To Manchester?” and changed its primary email to info@sankeysthereturn.com.
Check out the brand’s post below.
View this post on Instagram
Featured image courtesy: Sankeys.
