'My nightclub was here before the moon landings - it's a rite of passage'

It's the middle of the afternoon but the queue of people outside Acapulco nightclub in Halifax are dressed for a night out.

Sparkly cowboy hats, high heels and best shirts are donned, and toes are already tapping to the sound of the music leaking out from the doors of the venue.

They're are here for the club's monthly over-30s day disco, which starts at 15:30 BST and finishes by 20:00.

"It's like being out at night time, but it's in the day," clubber Pamela Horsfall, 63, enthuses.

"Why wouldn't you want to come back? Everyone is friendly and we still go home early."

For generations in Halifax, a trip to Acapulco, or "the Mighty Acca", has been a rite of passage on the town's nightlife scene.

Known for 75p drinks and its famous swirly-patterned, sticky carpets - pieces of which were auctioned off for £50 to raise charity funds in 2022 - in some ways the venue is a time capsule to its early days.

Opened in 1961 by Ted Turczak, Acca is celebrating its 65th anniversary this year.

It pre-dates the first moon landings and the building of the nearby M62, according to current owner Simon Jackson.

But what has kept the doors open and music pumping for decades?

According to Simon, one of the secrets to its longevity is "it's never been trendy".

"I think it's the only place that isn't bothered about its image," he says.

"It's not about being pretentious, it's about going out and having fun. It's a family-run business, so you have a family feel rather than a corporate feel."

Simon used to DJ at the Acca before he purchased it in 1995, aged 29.

Four years into his ownership, he can recall a marketing decision that now sounds delightfully retro.

In 1999 he shot some footage of the nightclub, which he then burned to a CD and sent out to around 1,000 businesses as a promotional video.

The problem was, according to him, very few people had computers powerful enough to play the CD.

"We had to wait five years before anyone could watch it - crazy by today's standards, isn't it?"

As with many hospitality businesses, Acapulco has had its share of challenges.

In 2019, the building caught fire but thanks to a concerted effort by firefighters and the venue staff, according to Simon, they managed to reopen the next night.

The Covid-19 pandemic was also a test.

"We managed to fight through where unfortunately so many others were finished off."

He describes the Acapulco as one of "the lucky ones" in the changing face of nightlife entertainment.

"Clubbing in itself, it's changed terribly. When we came here, there were about seven nightclubs in this town.

"In a normal club, you go in, you get some banging music and that's it. Here, there's a bit more atmosphere with it."

One of the ways the club has diversified its offering is through its daytime disco, and other events including special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) sessions.

Simon describes the rising interest in daytime clubbing as "strangely popular".

"Maybe it's because I'm old now, but I quite like it."

Halifax resident Matt Parker came to the club's 65th anniversary daytime disco.

He first visited Acapulco in 1999 - and says the decor of the club hasn't changed much in the intervening years.

"Halifax had a great nightclub scene back then," he remembers.

"It's true what everybody says though - the Acapulco and a sticky carpet go hand-in-hand. It's a piece of history."

According to him, one of the reasons the venue has kept going when so many others closed their doors is its "name power".

"As Halifax nightclubs started to disappear, people still wanted to come to the Acapulco.

"I've spoken to people and their children come here, their grandchildren come here - it's a generational thing as well."

Friends Gale Greg, 59, and Joanna Warner, 54, used to party at the venue when they were 18.

"It used to be packed in here, it was a great night," Gale says of those bygone days.

Joanna's 18-year-old daughter now comes clubbing at the Acapulco.

"It's been going such a long time," Joanna says of its continued appeal.

"It's got a big name for itself and you end up going to the place that has been going a lot longer."

Both agree the cost and the daytime hours of the over-30s sessions are a big draw too.

"You still want to have a good time, socialise, so this is the place to be," Joanna adds.

"They play the music we used to grow up with, drinks are flowing, so it's an absolutely brilliant night."

So what does the future hold for the Halifax institution?

Business as usual, is Simon's hope.

"Maybe I'll still be going for the next 65 years," he jokes.

"Hopefully Acapulco will still be here. It would be nice, wouldn't it?"

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