5 lost Berkshire nightclubs that provided first experiences of the nightlife – Berkshire Live

Oh to be an innocent teen/young adult again, dancing the night away at one of Berkshires many nightclubs. The club-goers of today will have different experiences of the countys nightlife as bars and nightclubs have morphed into each other over the years.

The old-school nightclub has sadly declined, meaning that many of the places that became our second homes have gone on to a new life. As music and social trends change, difficult decisions have to be made about the future of these much-loved establishments.

Hazy memories of sticky floors, drunken antics and huddling around the kebab van remain for many of us, no matter how much time has passed since our first experiences of these great clubs. In spite of the multitude of changes experienced in this market, these aspects remain essential ingredients of a memorable night out for today's clubbers

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On our Facebook page, we asked BerkshireLive readers to age themselves with a nightclub they used to go to thats no longer around - a name which (despite perhaps being too drunk to remember the details) will never be forgotten by those concerned. While plenty of other Berkshire clubs received mentions on our post, such as The Majestic, The Ricky Tick in Windsor and Rebeccas, these five were perhaps the most frequently named.

What was the first nightclub you visited in Berkshire? Let us know in the comments!

We begin by travelling way back to when the Top Rank represented a great night out from a different era. Pre-dating the likes of The Matrix by about four decades, Top Rank was a typical 1960s night out found just outside Reading station and above the entrance to the Thames Valley Bus Station.

The host of various events, Top Rank was the home of traditional ballroom dancing, as well as "discotheques" as they were known at the time. Local frequenters would often go dancing here three or four times a week.

There was a sweeping staircase and two bars - one to the right of the stage as you walked in, and one upstairs. As the ballroom headed into the '70s, they took advantage of the disco craze of that particular era; after the night, they'd be a long wait outside for the few taxis they had in those days.

Plenty of musical acts frequented Top Rank during its heyday, including The George Bradley Band, while other previously unearthed photos show the semi-finals of Miss Vanity Fair which also took place here. One BerkshireLive reader recalled: "OMG, such good memories that was the place to go! Remember many a boogie night dancing round our handbags, good times bring back those days, loved them, such a good place to meet up and socialise."

Unmissable fun was had during the weekends worth of entertainment. It later became a bingo hall before it was knocked down as part of one of the previous incarnations of the Station Hill development.

One which many Reading locals frequented during their drunkenly dancing days came in the form of Utopia. People of a certain vintage will recall a time before late-night bars when you were faced with the situation of bars closing at around 10.30pm.

The dilemma then arose about whether to try and get a taxi or bus home or if the night was only just getting started. Many of those in the latter camp soon headed to Yates' - still standing proudly today despite a few licensing issues - to get the bus to Utopia.

The trip out to Calcot was all part of the fun, even if it seemed to go on for hours before a night of fun followed your arrival. For a select few (although often making up a considerably larger percentage), there was a nervous wait outside due to being too young to (legally) enter.

As was standard for typical nightclubs, you were greeted with incredibly loud music and went to buy the very expensive drinks. Visitors from as far as Maidenhead and Swindon could be met at the bar or on the dance floor.

Despite having perhaps the most disgusting toilets anywhere outside day three of Reading Festival, it was the place to be in the town during the late 90s/early 2000s. The ultimate super-club has since become an IKEA.

This particular former club had multiple incarnations during its stint as part of Readings nightlife. Although it was finally known as RG1 before closure, it was previously known, and perhaps most fondly remembered, as Washington Heights.

A long stretch of time has passed since we were able to visit this part of town for a boogie. The site could be found as you go towards Caversham before the railway, where those nondescript flats currently sit.

The two-floor venue consisted of a VIP area upstairs for those after a more grand experience. A sunken dancefloor was a prominent feature of the club, including dancing podiums that allowed dancers to really make an impression on their fellow visitors.

Built to the side of the old car park in Chatham Street was Level One. This club is fondly remembered by many, while also being a place that other residents have never heard of.

Its out-of-town location made it a favourable club to make your regular. It also built up the reputation in the late 90s for the door staff having somewhat of an open mind with regards to what the law allowed and what they could get away with. Although its year of closure isnt widely known, what is common knowledge is that it was replaced with the flats that still stand there today.

Maidenheads representative in this list is the old Cinderellas. This is another club to have gone through many guises and rebrands. Finally known as Zoots (after a brief period as 5th Avenue), this was the town's only real nightclub. Although not being to everyone's taste, there were far worse places that you could spend a Friday night at.

The bouncers werent particularly fussy about who they let in, with jeans being permissible. Found within was the main dance floor on the lower level and a smaller dance floor above, with big windows so you could see what was going on downstairs. Recollectors included Colin Webb who loved it there cheesy as hell saw a few groups from the day there too and Carole Marshall who met my husband there 35 years ago!.

In February 1998 the site was turned into a Chicago Rock Cafe before it was taken over and began trading as Roma Club. After that also closed in more recent years, the building was demolished and a car park can be found in its place.

If you could bring one of these former clubs back, which one would it be?

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5 lost Berkshire nightclubs that provided first experiences of the nightlife - Berkshire Live