Having the time of your lives at the Twenty Fives

Fusion’s specially dedicated nights of dancing for the over-25s were all the rage after they were launched 40 years ago this month.

They were called Twenty Fives at Fusion and, as an Echo report said at the time, it was aimed at those people who ‘have an ear for pop music’.

The manager was John Muir in 1978 and he said that, from October that year onwards, Monday nights at Fusion were going to be ‘reserved for middle-of-the-road pop’.

He added: “We will be aiming at a completely different kind of person to the usual weekend customer.

“We have felt for some time that there has been a gap in dancing.”

The idea of the evenings, said the story, was for anyone who liked listening to the likes of Abba to get along.

We got a great response when we first asked you for your memories of the 1978 venue, with 11,000 Echo followers showing an interest.

Margaret Amer said: “Met my future hubby here, been together 38 yr so yes I love Fusion.”

Neil Hutchinson told us: “First night club I started to go in 1983ish , the planet suite also if any one can remember that.”

Alison Lothian commented: “Brings back great memories” while Julie O’Neil said: “Loved Fusion went every week with my best mate Lynn Fenwick.”

Stephen Cutter “Used to go on a Thursday night” while Kimberley Billy Watson said: “Loved the place! You didn’t have to go walk about over the bridge to the Mecca.”

Arthur Johnston said: “Best nightclub in Sunderland” while Deb Brown, Christine Taylor Laverick, Paul McCerery, Hoouston Wake, Kathleen Davidson and Steven Bewick also loved it.

Keep those memories coming by emailing [email protected]