Re-designed for the start of 2010, Factory records offices reopen as a nightclub, mixing live bands and Djs’ across three floors.

The club is a joint venture between Hooky, Ben Kelly and Aaron Mellor of Tokyo Industries. Aaron is a long time Factory records aficionado having began promoting and playing at Stone Love in the Haçienda in the mid 90’s.

Conversations between Aaron and Hooky began years ago. They both wanted to create a live venue with an emphasis on new talent and with the acquisition of the Factory building Aaron persuaded Hooky that now was the time for him to re-enter the game. Hooky is a director of Fac251 and will present nights, perform and also book bands for the venue.

Original factory architect Ben Kelly has been recruited to recast the building to suit its new purpose as a live venue that continues the Factory ethos for contemporary bands, promoters, Dj’s and the people of Manchester.

The Factory mantra “ Give something back” informs the development. Fac251 takes these influences and brings them to a new generation, providing a creative space for Manchester's latest musical talents in an effort to recreate the community which surrounded the original Factory project.

Fac251 will showcase the very best, local national and international live talent with upfront and creative club nights that celebrate the past whilst embracing the future. We hope the Factory will become a rite of passage for local bands and Manchester’s creative pulse.

The booking policy is inclusive, providing a forum for most genres and club styles. Its Funktion One Sound system across all floors will make your clothes fall off.

Ben Kelly has revisited his original designs for the building and created three separate club environments Bassment, Loft and Boardroom, allowing for a variety of music styles on any given evening.

FAC 51 The Haçienda also begins its Saturday night residency “Haçienda Presents” at The Factory, taking over the board room with a selection of Mancunian rock legends supervised by Hooky alongside a host of new DJ talents.

A full roster for future events at The Factory will be announced over the coming weeks.

As the reconstruction of the venue nears completion, a weekly video blog of the project in its final stages will be uploaded each Monday to the venue’s website at http://www.factorymanchester.com and across our social networking sites. Kevin Cummins is documenting the progress of the club as its official photographer.