Fac 51 Haçienda (also known as simply The Haçienda) was one of the most well known nightclubs in Manchester during the Madchester years of the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was largely financed by the record label Factory Records and the band New Order along with Anthony H Wilson/Tony Wilson. It was located on the corner of Whitworth Street West and Albion Street, close to Castlefield, in the centre of the city.

The Haçienda opened in 1982 and survived until 1997, despite considerable and persistent financial troubles. During this time the club was mainly supported by record sales from New Order. It once served as a venue for Madonna on her first tour of the United Kingdom. Although peaking in popularity during the rise of the rave era, most of the money ended up circulating to drug dealers and the Haçienda itself saw very little of the nightly expenditure. Luxury apartments have now been built on the site.

Michael Winterbottom's 2002 film 24 Hour Party People starring Steve Coogan as Tony Wilson, tells the story of the Haçienda. The movie was filmed in 2001, and required reconstructing the Haçienda in a Manchester warehouse - the reconstruction was itself then briefly used as a nightclub.

The Haçienda is now the name of a recently developed apartment complex located on the site of the former club.

External link

• Manchester Pride writeup