One of Manchester’s most iconic underground clubs is returning for a new era

The iconic venue known as Sankeys Soap will be returning to Manchester in January, 2026.

Sankeys was an extremely well known part of Manchester’s underground rave scene in the late ’90s and early ’00s, with the venue closing in 2017.

Now, the legendary club will be reopening in a new undisclosed venue off Oxford Road, in a move that reflects how much the city’s nightlife has changed in recent years.

David Vincent, who helped shape Sankeys from its earliest days, spoke to NQ about the revival and what Sankeys was like back in the original venue.

“It was more like Detroit than Detroit”, he said.

“It was completely uninhabited, rundown, and derelict – dangerous actually.”

The venue originally took its name from the faded lettering on the building, which read ‘Sankeys Soap’.

The new venue is set to emulate the atmosphere that the original had despite the shift in location. A number of features from the original Sankeys will be recreated, including the famous LED grid around the DJ booth.

“When people who remember the old Sankeys walk in, they’ll see those things and feel like yeah, that is Sankeys”.

What set Sankeys apart, David explains, was its focus on the future of music. He says “The music was always forward thinking”. “They put on The Chemical Brothers, who became what they were, or Daft Punk, always ahead of their time”.

After Sankeys’ departure from Manchester in 2017, the brand continued to host nights all around the UK, including events in London and Ibiza. But this new venue is the first time since then that Manchester’s ravers will get to experience a venue that emulates the original Sankeys experience.

This time around, Sankeys will be a no-phones allowed space, allowing people to focus less on taking photos and more on dancing to the music.

The response to the reopening suggests that Manchester’s ravers are happily welcoming Sankeys’ return. The first 10 events have sold out in advance, but there will be more to come further on in the year.

Musically, Sankeys will stay true to its roots, while also pushing into new territory. David described it as “Similar music, but with a twist”. “It’ll hit the oldheads, but also the new wave future styles. Same spirit, same booking identity, with something new.”

The first night open in the new venue will be on 30, January, and you can find updates on events on the official Sankeys Instagram account @SankeysOfficial.