Middlesbrough Empire owners 'put town on map for dance music'

The departing owners of one of Middlesbrough's most famous nightclubs say they put the town "on the map with dance music".

Barry Faulkner Snr and Barry Faulkner Jnr are handing over the keys to The Middlesbrough Empire next month after 33 years in charge.

The Empire has hosted renowned DJs and acts including Pete Tong, the Arctic Monkeys and James Arthur, with Faulkner Jnr saying he hoped the new owner would bring back some of the "glory days".

"At the time, I took a big chance with that place," Faulkner Snr said of taking the former bingo hall and turning it into a club, adding: "I think it cleared me out of money when I first got it."

He told BBC Radio Tees he was selling for health reasons, adding: "There's no use crying over spilt milk, you know what I mean? But it's our choice."

Faulkner Jnr said they did not know what the new owners' intentions with the building were, but they were told it would close for about 18 months to "reinvent it".

The club said its events after 17 November would no longer take place at the Empire and would be relocated .

Faulkner Snr said the best night he had seen was when 2,000 people "crammed into the place" to see Paul Oakenfold.

"The place was just running with sweat," he said.

Meanwhile, Faulker Jnr remembered people climbing on the roof and bonnet of the Bentley that brought DJ Sasha from Leeds to perform.

"You'd never seen anything like it," he said, adding: "Our life revolved around the Friday night.

"It was a family, we had a really good team."

The announcement sparked shock and sadness, with some saying the venue was their "second home" and their departure being the "end of an era".

Middlesbrough musician Finn Forster said headlining at the venue last year had been an "absolute dream" of his.

"Growing up, and seeing different artists from all over place come through and play Middlesbrough Empire, it shows you what's possible," Forster told BBC Radio Tees.

"I think, without it, there's a huge missing piece there."

He said the venue attracted "such a high calibre of artists".

Forster said: "It doesn't matter how small we are, or what we look like in comparison to the rest of the world, I think we can still have just as much of an important impact.

"And with the Empire, it's been a place that shines a light on the town as a place that can be trusted, whatever level of artist comes through."

Faulkner Snr and Faulkner Jnr said they were looking forward to seeing "all the old faces" on their final night.

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Nightclub to change ownership after three decades