Halifax’s famous Acapulco club, or the ‘Acca’ as it is fondly known, has become an iconic venue that has played banging tunes for generations of clubbers. What’s more, you can still buy a drink for 75p even today.
To mark its 65th anniversary, the venue wants to secure a Halifax Civic Trust Blue Plaque to celebrate its special place in the town’s social and cultural history. The club’s owners are working with the trust and with Halifax BID to make this goal a reality.
A History of Clubbing, Celebrities, and a Sticky Carpet
The club opened in 1961 by Ted Turczak, a Polish immigrant who came to Britain to escape the horrors of World War II. It has since become recognised as the UK’s oldest continuously operating nightclub, with its name or location never changing.
Over the years, the club has had many celebrities grace its dance floor, including Katie and Harvey Price, Steve McFadden (EastEnders’ Phil Mitchell), Joey Essex, and a host of reality stars from shows such as Love Island and Big Brother.
The club previously hit national news in 2022 when it sold its distinctive 20-year-old sticky carpet in souvenir chunks. What started as a joke snowballed into a charity fundraiser where people could buy A4 squares of the carpet. They could even choose which part of the club it was from, including the bar, outside the toilet, and the edge of the dance floor.
A Fundraising Appeal
To further support their ambitions, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to raise the £650 required for the blue plaque. They have set a target of £700 to cover costs. Any extra funds raised will be donated to the Halifax Street Angels. The charity helps vulnerable people in the town’s night-time economy.
Simon Jackson, who is the current owner of the Acapulco, commented on the campaign:
“For 65 years the Acapulco has been the beating heart of Halifax nightlife. It opened before man walked on the Moon, before the M62 was built, and before colour television arrived in British homes. Generations of people from Halifax and far beyond have walked through these doors – parents, children and now grandchildren.
“This is more than a nightclub. It is a shared rite of passage and a living part of our town’s story. A blue plaque would permanently mark that unique place in Halifax’s cultural and social history for future generations.”
For more information about the ‘Acca’s’ blue plaque campaign or to donate, you can visit their GoFundMe page here.
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Feature Image Credit: ACAPULCO NIGHTCLUB HALIFAX
