Rowntrees owned four popular clubs,

with all but the last featuring groups two or three nights a week. Top of the Town was my favourite venue - the clientele a little more "souly" than "poppy".

I remember working there with Jimmy "What becomes of the brokenhearted" Ruffin, very much down on his luck and a bighead.   We had to clear the stage for him and then found out his band - Campus, a Manchester based backing band  - had arrived with no gear. Out it all had to come!

1966

Phoenix City Smash outside The Spin Inn record shop, managed by DJ Gary Laine and next to Top of the Town (hey that's webmaster Paul, crouched on the left)

I particularly remember Top of the Town on Cross Street which used to have a record shop called Spin Inn at street level. The DJ in the late 60s and early 70s was called Gary Laine, I seem to remember and he managed the shop too.

My friends were Glenys Withington, Kath Walker, David Holt and Mike Curtis. Happy days!

Melanie McNeeney

I remember so fondly Top of the Town on Cross Street. I also remember the DJ, Gary Laine, where is he now, does anyone know. My friends at the time there were Brenda Smith, Leslie Cooper, danced many a night away there. Happy days.

Catherine Barrow (nee Dillon)

I remember many enjoyable nights spent in my youth at Rowntrees Spring Gardens, after travelling down from Rossendale and I bought most of my early soul records for deejaying at the Spin Inn.Fond memories indeed.

The rest I got from FL Moore in Leighton Buzzard, who had a mail order business at the time.

Those were the days.  The strange thing is I am still playing some of these records which I played as 'new releases' then, to this day.

Keith Gunton

I have just read Paul Swarbricks account of when he was working on Whitworth St in Manchester and how he used to go to Takis at lunchtime and enjoy the music. I was really pleased to read that as I was the DJ during those lunchtime sessions. My DJ name was Pete Roscoe and as well as the lunchtime sessions I also did Top of the Town,and Rowntrees in the evenings. Does anyone recall the Miss Supertakis beauty contest that we had, I arranged that together with Mr Paul Partakis who was the Manager and part of the family that owned the group of clubs