A lost Liverpool venue was once loved for being the "wackiest fun pub" in the 1980s.
Previously known as the Regent Hotel, Bonkers fun pub first opened in the summer of 1985 on Regent Road, the Dock Road, north of the Pier Head. The site was derelict before it was converted into what rapidly became known "as the city’s wackiest and friendliest fun pub."
Attracting many customers from across the city through the years, the success of Bonkers saw other venues open in Wallasey, as well as further afield in Macclesfield. On August 10, 1985, the ECHO reported how "down in Liverpool's dilapidated Dock Road" a "phoenix had risen from the ashes" in the form of a pub.
READ MORE: 12 unearthed photos show shopping on Church Street 34 years ago
READ MORE: 'Titanic' mansion open to public for first time since 1882
At the time, assistant manager Nigel Brown said: "Some places call themselves fun pubs when all they’ve got is a disco. Here we do the real thing. We want people to come to Bonkers and never know how the night will end."
When it first opened, customers would step into the almost luminous blue building to see the pink plush décor and listen to music which ranged from "Glenn Miller to Madonna." Selling everything from beers and lagers to cocktails, in the day time, you could also enjoy a pint with a meal, with the likes of meat pies and lasagnes being on offer.
One image, rediscovered from our archives, Mirrorpix, offers a glimpse inside Bonkers around the time it opened. Taken on August 8, 1985, the photo features Mike Owen, from Woolton, who won the Liverpool Poser 1985 title at the "latest place to be seen," Bonkers Club on Dock Road.
Apart from the title, he received a trophy, £20 cash and a bottle of bubbly. The idea from the competition came from DJ Alan Bates
Do you remember Bonkers Club? Let us know in the comments section below.
The following year, another Bonkers venue opened on Dock Road in Birkenhead. In September 1986, Birkenhead News reported how the site offered a range of home cooked food from a Sunday carvery to salads, sandwiches, pasta, pizza and an early doors happy hour with doubles priced for £1.
By 1987, the Liverpool Bonkers became more "disco orientated." At the time, employee Joe Curran said: "The operation has expanded considerably.
"There’s even a Bonkers in Macclesfield, but Liverpool remains the nucleus of things.
"After all, we provided the launching pad for the current UK DJ of the year, John Cecchini and between them, the Liverpool and Wallasey bases have created more than 100 jobs. That's something to be pleased about nowadays."
Many will remember visiting a Bonkers venue through the years, from heading there for drinks straight after work to spending a weekend dancing and enjoying the entertainment with friends. Coming to Liverpool at a time when fun pubs were coming into fashion, Bonkers was said to have been among the first of its kind to open in the city.
On October 15, 1987, the ECHO reported how the "pioneering fun pub" was up for sale. According to Stuart Granger and Partners, the firm handling the sale, the business was still trading well.
But, the venue appeared to still be operating into the 1990s. In 1991, an ECHO advertisement from Bonkers said: "Open Friday and Saturday with dance music only and a brand new mind blowing sound system.
Join the Liverpool ECHO's memories and history WhatsApp community
Bonkers Liverpool has now been closed for some time, but it still lives on in the memories of a generation who went there. As for the Birkenhead site, in July this year, the ECHO reported how the former Wirral Bonkers venue could become a "go-to destination for locals" if plans go ahead.
The former Royal Swan Hotel, later known as the Blazing Stump and nightclub Bonkers, first opened in 1878 and construction company AP Mitchell and Evoke Architecture have submitted plans to Wirral Council to completely turn the site around. The plans include outdoor seating areas with benches, an outdoor event space, food and drinks vendors, and a large bar, as well as a private function space which will sit inside the new building, called the Dock Road Food Hall.
Win the ultimate family festive break at Alton Towers Resort this Christmas
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
