'The girls were beautiful and the lads were handsome': Memories of Idols and Annabels in Sunderland
It had style, it had beautiful people and it had lots of fantastic music. We’re talking about Idols in Sunderland.
The famous Wearside venue gets our attention in the second episode of our new Sunderland 90’s Nightlife series which went live today.
‘Have you heard about that new Sunderland venue called Idols?’
The very people who ran Idols and Annabels have spoken to the Sunderland Echo to share their memories - and there were lots of them!
Bob Senior was a nightclub manager at the time and revealed how the staff drummed up publicity for Wearside’s newest attraction. They all rang a popular radio show.
Bob said: “We generated awareness because we all got on the phone to Alan Robson and the Night Owls. It was the girls that would mainly ring up and say ‘Alan, have you heard about that new pub that’s opening in Sunderland.
‘It definitely felt like it was ahead of its time’
“They are going to have girls wearing next to nothing behind the bar!”
Bob added: “I said to my lad if you think about going there .... of course, it was packed!”
Alison Vaulkhard, a nightclub operator at the time, said Idols success was because the people who ran it ‘covered all angles’.
“At the time,” she said, ‘it definitely felt like it was ahead of its time’.
Chambers, Blue Monkey and more
Alison and Bob also discussed how Idols was based on a legendary Blackpool venue called Rumours.
The new Sunderland venue was a massive hit because of the vibe from the staff which was picked up by the customers who added to a fantastic atmosphere, they said.
But that is just the start of the memories. Watch our video if you want more.
Each Friday, we’ll bring you a nostalgia-filled film. Last week’s premier episode was called Old Skool. Next week, we look at what comes immediately to mind when people hear ‘90s nightlife in Sunderland’.
Still to come are fantastic insights into the days of Chambers, the Blue Monkey and more.
We also want to hear from people who have their own recollections of Sunderland’s nightlife in the past.
Get in touch by emailing [email protected]