Manchester's oldest club to close

Manchester’s Buzz Club, the longest-running comedy venue outside London, is to close after 15 years.

Promoter and Agraman has found it difficult to run the venue since a recent move to Hull, so decided to call it a day.

He also said audiences have missed his compering. “They tell me it’s not the same without the weirdo with the dreadful puns,” he told Chortle.

“I always wanted the Buzz to be special, and rather than becoming just another comedy club, I thought it was time to go out in a big way.

“Being nominated for the Chortle award for best club in the North – and especially the huge cheer I got from the comics on the night – also made me feel this was the right time.”

“More realistically, I’ve not been around to do the publicity since I moved.

The club will go out with a party on July 1, and is staging Best of the Buzz celebrations in the fortnight running up to the closure. Some big names have already promised drop in, and Agraman’s hoping to attract more.

Over the years the Buzz has seen performances from the likes of Eddie Izzard, Lee Evans, Steve Coogan, Frank Skinner, Peter Kay and Johnny Vegas.

“It’s a sad time now, but we’re going to go out with a big celebration,” said Agraman, the human anagram.

The promoter, right, will still work behind the scenes in comedy, programming clubs and putting together corporate entertainment, but says his compering days are over.

Published: 10 May 2004