Part 2: 11 MORE Things From 1990s Buxton That Don’t Exist Today

By popular demand, we bring you part 2 of 1990s Buxton. We’re going to run an a special 1960s in Buxton feature soon, so look our for that….

[box style=’success’]1. SCOTTS CHIPPY (END OF SPRING GARDENS)[/box]

Potato Scallops for 9p. Pocket money could go far….

[box style=’success’]2.FAIRFIELD DAIRY[/box]

An institution as far as local offy’s go. Famed for its penny selection sweets and you could buy both flavours of Thunderbird from there, red and blue labels.

[box style=’success’]3. BLAST NIGHTS AT FACES NIGHTCLUB[/box]

Anyone who was cool in 90s Buxton will undoubtedly recall the alternative music nights at Buxton’s premier nightclub or Blast, as Tuesday night was known. Alternative music was a catch-all term for anything that wasn’t in the pop charts so ravers, punks, goths, metallers and indie kids would all happily rub shoulders, waiting for their favourite music to be played, just as long as it wasn’t mainstream. It seems unlikely that anywhere in the town could successfully run a similar event nowadays. Blast was very much of its time.

[box style=’success’]4. INTERNATIONAL GILBERT & SULLIVAN FESTIVAL BEGAN IN 1994[/box]

Judith Christian, manager at the Opera House in the early 90s, was famed for saying that she wouldn’t let Ian Smith out of her office until an agreement was made as to how a Gilbert and Sullivan festival could be devised. It was a no brainer. The festival grew with huge success and attracted both newbies and hardened G&S fans who would return year after year. At the core of the festival was a competition where visiting, amateur opera companies would perform G&S and and overall winner announced at the final show. Professional opera companies would also take part such as Derby Opera Company, G&S Opera Company and Opera della Luna. The festival, sadly, was moved to Harrogate in 2014 and will remain there to at least 2018. The spiritual home of the festival, will though, in many people’s eyes, always belong in Buxton.

[box style=’success’]5. CHATTERS WINE BAR[/box]

Perhaps considered the best bar in 90s Buxton. In its heyday years, most notably in the early to mid 90’s, Chatters offered 3 floors, all offering its own pleasures. Castaway was the drink of choice for many regulars. When mixed with cider, it became the infamous Blastaway. Say no more.

[box style=’success’]6. LIGHTWOOD RESERVOIR[/box]

A classic illegal swimming spot in summer, Lightwood Res was a draw for many a youth, back in the day. It attracting campers and perhaps more famously, illegal parties (raves bascially) too back in the 90s. It was drained in the mid noughties and is now a hive a wildlife activity with a small pond that is home to dragon flies in the summer – they’re bright electric blue in colour.

[box style=’success’]7. TROPICAL FISH CENTRE[/box]

Who remembers this double fronted tropical fish shop at the bottom of Fairfield Road?

[box style=’success’]8. COUNTRYGIRL[/box]

Located at the end of Spring Gardens, Countrygirl was home to bargains galore. There was a risk you might buy something and may not live to see too many washes in the machine but cotton trousers, shirts, batwing tops and the like could easily be sourced here should you need a last minute dash for a Saturday night outfit.

[box style=’success’]9. SPRINGS BAR AT OLD HALL HOTEL[/box]

You had to be 23 years old to be allowed entry to the somewhat upmarket bar scene that was Springs. A late night haunt for those who preferred the cooler side of Buxton and wanted to hear mid 90’s house tracks in the comfort of their own town. A respected alternative to a drive out of town.

[box style=’success’]10. THE LIBRARY WAS IN THE CRESCENT[/box]

The Assembly Room in the Crescent was once home to Buxton Library. This magnificent room and its stunning Georgian ceiling made the library a special place to visit. There was tranquillity about the place when you went there to either read books, hang with your mates or pretend to be studying for your exams and reading up for school work. The Crescent was closed completely in 1992 and major restoration is now under way that will transform the Grade 1 listed building into a luxury spa hotel.

[box style=’success’]11. SPORTS BAR AT CHATTERS/BURLINGTON’S[/box]

Downstairs at Chatters/Burlington in the mid-90s was quite a scene. The pre-club ritual would be to come here to exchange stories of nights out and which house club they were about to venture off to in Manchester, Sheffield, Mansfield and the like. Later in the noughties saw the legendary ‘Sound Boy’ drum ‘n’ bass nights here, which many of you might (or might not) remember.