Demolition plan for Peterborough's former Chicago Rock and New York New York nightclubs

For more than 15 years, after opening in the late 90s, Chicago Rock and New York New York on New Road were synonymous with a night out in the city centre.

Despite a brief reprise as Liberation and Rhythm Room they have stood empty and decaying for a decade.

Likewise, many great nights were had at nearby The Bar, at the junction with Northminster, which went on to become Halo and ultimately Coyotes.

And sandwiched in between, Shooters pool bar, later to reopen as Ghost.

But the sad sight of the tatty and once much-loved venues is set to disappear, with the owner of Earlham House – home to all those clubs and bars – planning to raze it to the ground once and for all.

Interestingly the building isn’t completely vacant – with the Angels club still operating on the Northminster/Brook Street side and at some point it will be forced to vacate via a lease break notice.

An application by The Unex Group has been submitted to Peterborough City Council planners seeking prior approval for its planned demolition of the entire building “down to the ground floor slab.”

It is seeking to start the process at the turn of next year and be complete within three months.

The application adds that: “Options are currently being explored for new commercial and residential usages as dictated by the commercial market.”

And the commercial market, alongside the condition of the former venues, has played a part in the decision, with no takers for the empty buildings and little interest in recent years.

Adrian Morris, Managing Director of Unex Group, said: “The vacant units within Earlham House are all in significant disrepair requiring significant expenditure to make them occupiable, including but not limited to largely a new roof, new M&E (mechanicals and electrics), new windows, etc.

"The amount of work required is significantly disproportionate to the rent levels achievable once the work has been completed and in truth there is limited demand for units of this nature.”

Despite them being unoccupiable, Unex has had to continue to pay business rates on the empty units and as such has “been left with no choice but to demolish the building” and then consider options for potential redevelopment, Mr Morris added.

One such use to be discussed with planners, he says, is car parking, even if that is on a temporary basis.

Indus House, the neighbouring building on New Road where 2020 World Buffet restaurant operates, and which used to house Liquid nightclub which closed in 2014, is not affected.

Relive some memories: Here’s a gallery from Chicago Rock in 2005