Can Can Coffee bar (Booth St)

Later Red Bed and Kaleidoscope

I remember going to a birthday party held there for the owner's son. Syd Barrett was there. Ronnie Reuben (owner), had recently got the place painted in psychadelic UV paint. Apparently it was toned-down a bit, being too "spacey".

John Jacques

On the walls were painted huge coloured murals based on Toulouse Lautrec's famous posters.

Dave Jackson

Was the Can Can on Booth St behind Albert Square?
There was a big coffee bar with music there. As schoolboys (1964-5) we would drive or be driven up into the guaranteed winter snows of the Goyt Valley and pretend to be rally drivers - we would return to Albert Square as heroes in the early hours and celebrate with an expensive coffee and apple strudel - we still didn't meet the girls we always hoped for.

Roger Baker - 10/1/09

I can remember the lady who ran the place. I am sure she was an Irish girl called Cathy. I was 17 when we started to use the Can Can - which was he first place I can remember for REAL Coffee.

Michael Philip Looker - 18/1/09

Went here regularly in the first half of '67. The decor was crazy but I really can't remember what sort of crazy. Ugli Ray Teret was a dj (have been looking for confirmation but I'm pretty certain this is correct as he was dj-ing at Sale Locarno at the same time) there along with Gary Laine and Bob Lee. This was my introduction to ska - Prince Buster's Al Capone and Desmond Dekker's 007 (Shanty Town) particularly but also the Skatalites and the Ethiopians - and soul music. Not a bad introduction!

Liz Williams  - 19/8/09

Yes the Can Can was on Booth St, I remember going there at nights when the soul they played was great.

Ted Taylor - 13/7/10 

I was one of the d.j.s at the Can Can Club which became The Red Bed and finally before it's closure, The Kaleidoscope, which I also ran.

I was also responsible for the psychedelic art work for all three as well as several other clubs including Rails, Manchester's equivilent to the london musicians after gig clubs such as The Bag o Nails & Scotch of St James, along with my late friend Bill Morgan.

I firmly believe the club was the missing link between the closing of The Wheel and the opening of the Casino. Our soul nights were always jammed and we played a lot of the tracks that were later taken up by the Casino.

Bob Lee - 21/10/10

Wow - just Googled Can Can and found this page. When I was a student at MCST I paid my way working 6 evenings a week as Gaggia Op and Sandwich chef at the Can Can. (2/3d per hour). Owners name was Parvis - he also owned the Bodega and a Renault Dauphine Gordini... I think Kathy was the manageress. Oh, 59'-61'

Steve - 13/11/10

I spent every afternoon at Can Can after Manchester Grammar School. 1962/3. Yes Cathy the red head Irish girl managed the place. There was a waiter called a Terry..a real queen. The owner was a dark haired sticky guy. I think his name was Ronnie.

There was an Italian coffee machine and coffee served in glass cups. 

Syd Kaye - 18/12/13