It is undeniable to say that in 1996 that The Haçienda was in decline but it is often overlooked that the bomb of June 1996 accelerated the club’s downfall as much of Manchester City Centre was destroyed.
The knock on effects of this during Manchester’s rebuilding process became self evident but clubland shifted to smaller, more intimate venues at the this period than The Haçienda.
Nevertheless Rob Gretton and a versatile, energetic team continued to book in some great DJ’s and gigs although following the bomb, a decline in audience figures made it more difficult to justify huge fees for talent.
Equally the period saw a widespread push for late licensing in Manchester with many general club bars getting 2AM and even 4AM licenses which impacted on night clubs directly as most hardly charged entry prices. With this and the impact of the bomb, audience numbers were to decline towards June 1997, when the club closed.