Manchester City Council is in the final stages of acquiring comedy legend Bernard Manning’s Embassy Club, with plans to demolish the iconic Harpurhey venue and construct a major new health centre on the site.
The authority was approached by the current owner about selling the Rochdale Road property, presenting an opportunity to redevelop the land.
Once the purchase is completed, the council intends to transform the location into a community health hub, which officials say will be among the largest in the city.
The current operators are set to vacate the premises on March 31, bringing an end to the club’s decades-long history.
The venue first opened its doors in 1959, established by the comedian who became a television fixture through Granada’s The Comedians during the 1970s.
Over the years, the Embassy earned a reputation as one of Britain’s most recognised working men’s clubs, attracting major names including Les Dawson, Ken Dodd and Peter Kay.
It also gave punk poet John Cooper Clarke his debut performance.
Bernard Manning, born in Ancoats in 1939, passed away in 2007 aged 76.
Bernard Manning’s iconic club set to close to be converted into a health centre
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A household name, the comedian faced criticism in later life for his occasionally offensive or racially charged material.
He always denied claims of racism, declaring: “I tell jokes. You never take a joke seriously.”
After his death, his son Bernard Manning Jr took over operations at the Embassy Club. The younger Manning had placed the property on the market in 2014, leaving its future uncertain for over a decade.
Now, the health centre forms part of a broader regeneration strategy for the area, which includes proposals for more than 300 new homes alongside improvements to local amenities.
The comedy legend died in 2007
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Adjacent council-owned land along Rochdale Road is expected to be incorporated into the development, positioning it as a gateway to the wider neighbourhood.
Harpurhey has been identified as having one of the worst health profiles in the country, making improved healthcare provision a priority for local leaders.
It aligns with the council’s Making Manchester Fairer programme, which targets health inequality across the city.
The area will benefit from £20million through the government’s Pride in Place fund over the coming decade.
The Embassy Club closed in 2014
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Councillor Gavin White, executive member for housing and development, said: “Whilst we are still finalising the plans for the final purchase of this site, it sends out a message that we as a Council are committed to investing in our communities and improving health across the city.
“Providing high-quality and accessible healthcare is vital.
“By centring them in the heart of our communities, we are making it easier for people to see their GP, a practice nurse or to access a range of services that will improve their lives in the long run.”
To launch the health drive, the council is staging the Healthy Happy Harpurhey festival on March 22, featuring community walks, fitness workshops, health checks and sports activities across the neighbourhood.