Skip to content

Reunion planned for nightclub that shut 33 years ago

Getty Images Michael Jackson in a white shirt, dark sparkly tie and dark sparkly jacket, next to La Toya Jackson who is wearing a yellow headband. Getty Images
La Toya Jackson (right) played at Top of the Town nightclub in Northampton

People connected to a nightclub that in its heyday hosted La Toya Jackson and Steve Wright have organised a reunion evening 33 years after the venue closed.

Top of The Town in Northampton first opened as working men's club in 1978, and was turned into a nightclub in the early 1980s and closed in 1991.

In 1988 the venue was bought by the Cohen family, and it was managed by Pete Cohen, who was the father of the rugby player Ben Cohen and the brother of footballer George Cohen.

Steve McNeill, who was a DJ in the club, said the venue was "at the forefront of dance music" in the town.

Joseph Ashmenall/BBC Justin Cohen in a blue hoodie, is stood with his arm round Steve McNeil, who is wearing a red top. They are standing on a pavement with a set of traffic lights and cars behind them. Joseph Ashmenall/BBC
Justin Cohen (left) and Steve McNeil (right) were two of the DJs at Top of Town and have organised the reunion night

Mr McNeill, along with others who played at the club, will be part of the "Tops" reunion on 30 November at Barretts Club in Northampton.

The Top of the Town building, on Great Russell Street, Northampton, has since been demolished.

Mr McNeill said: "It looked like Bertie Bassett and because [the building] was made of plastic it used to get very hot in there, it was shocking.

"But on the inside it was nice. It was a proper nightclub."

He said it featured areas such as a cocktail lounge with a pianist.

The DJ added: "You could go into a pool room, you get some food, you could have a dance.

"Long gone are those days where you'd go in and have cocktails and then go for a dance."

Steve Wright on a set of Top of the Pops, wearing a green jacket with yellow stripes and black tie.
Steve Wright, then a Radio 1 DJ, played at the club in the 1980s

Justin Cohen was another DJ at the club. He said his family took ownership of the club in 1988 when it was in its "heyday".

"My dad went in there as a doorman in 1984 and then we had the opportunity to buy it," he said.

Mr Cohen said the first big night of the week was on a Thursday, which would "start the weekend".

He added that the club was visited by La Toyah Jackson, while she accompanied her brother Michael Jackson to the UK in 1988 when he was playing Wembley Stadium, and the late Radio 1 DJ Steve Wright.

He also said the club had several "Grange Hill stars on a Monday", when the venue hosted an under-18s night.

When speaking about the upcoming reunion, he said: "You get a dancefloor filled, get good tune on and it just brings back so many memories."

Top of the Town nightclub is being remembered with reunion nights

Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.