Candlelight at the end of the tunnel for club

CLUB reprieved . . . Ken Naylor (left) with Carl Spiers

Closed-down club given tribute bands lifeline

OLDHAM’S closed Candlelight Club will host regular tribute band shows from next month as part of an 11th-hour reprieve.

Local promoter Carl Spiers struck a deal with club owner Ken Naylor to prevent the legendary venue being turned into a pub/restaurant.

Ken was gutted when dwindling numbers and what he described as failing nightlife in the town centre forced him to close the club on Boxing Day.

He was resigned to seeing the end of his 50-year career as a nightclub boss, but Royton’s Carl Spiers threw the club a lifeline with his idea to use it to stage events to attract a more mature audience.

Carl said: “I brought Frank Bruno to the Candlelight Club last October for ‘An Audience With’, which was a sell-out, and I put on a few Cats’ Whiskers reunions which also went very well.

“I have also organised ‘Audiences with’ Mad Frankie Fraser, Joe Royle, Andy Goram, Andy Ritchie, Paddy Crerand and plan to bring Barry McGuigan and John H Stracey to Oldham this summer.”

He added: “I have had a lot of support and encouragement from many Oldhamers who agree that Oldham is crying out for this kind of entertainment.”

Carl has already got several tribute bands lined up to take a monthly slot at the Candlelight. He plans to kick the season off with Bob Marley tribute band Exodus on Saturday, March 28. Others include tribute bands to UB40, The Jam, The Doors and Meatloaf.

Carl also plans to stage gigs by local bands in-between, including 10ft Fez, Bowie Room and indie band Crazydays.

He added: “It’s still in the planning stage, but I will be announcing ticket sales soon. Ken and I are trying to attract an older, more mature audience and offer them a trouble-free and entertaining night out.”

Ken had planned to hand the Candlelight over to his son, James, to turn into a food pub, but estimates for the work were cost prohibitive. The club will also be available for hire as a function suite. Ken’s son will help run that.