Many walked past and have no idea what it was really like inside
17:08, 18 Jul 2025Updated 08:32, 21 Jul 2025
The Masquerade Club was incredibly populat(Image: Laura Lees)
A surprise nightclub was hidden for years behind the doors of a Liverpool city centre restaurant—and not that many people knew about it. Decades ago, Scousers would get quite a shock when they knocked on what appeared to be the entrance to a Chinese restaurant and they found something quite different.
Located on Cases Street, between a shoe shop and hairdressers, Macdonald House served customers for years. But at one point in time, it underwent a transformation—which was largely unknown by regulars.
Becoming a “mysterious cavernous cellar club,” the site became home to The Masquerade. Affectionately known as ‘The Mazzie,’ guests would enter and be met with steps described as “truly scary, dark scary like Scottie Road” that descended into an underground “Aladdin’s cave” of delight, the Liverpool ECHO previously reported.
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Inside, guests enjoyed an eclectic mix of disco, Hi NRG [high energy], and “classic oldies.” If you used to visit The Mazzie, you’ll remember the songs were spun by Mark Lees, who lives in Wallasey.
He previously reminisced about his time DJing at the venue from 1978 until 1986, detailing how the site radiated a welcoming atmosphere, especially appreciated by the gay community during times when vigilance outdoors was a stark reality. Now a retired bingo caller, Mr Lees said newcomers would rapidly become regulars.
The entrance to the Masquerade Club, in between Timpsons and Neills(Image: John Harrison)
He previously told the ECHO: “The Masquerade was only one of a handful of gay clubs around at that time, but it was the most popular. A great atmosphere with regular members who packed it out on Fridays and Saturdays.
“We always had a marvellous time, as most gay people believed that they were the only ones out there in the world until they found the likes of The Masquerade, where they could enjoy themselves for a few hours a week and be who they wanted to be.”
Mark, who took on the roles of manager and licensee at various points, recalls seeing faces like Paul O’Grady, Holly Johnson and Julie Goodyear enjoying the vibe, lost in the dance amidst the smoky air. Local LGBT+ historian, John Harrison, said The Mazzie was an essential haven during challenging times for the community, known for embracing folk from “all walks of life and different backgrounds”.
The Masquerade Club would have been where Clayton Square Boots entrance now stands in the city centre(Image: Laura Lees)
Originally from Dingle and currently living in Aigburth, John stressed that although being inside The Masquerade felt safer, he always had concerns about the outside world intruding during his visits. He said: “It was a really difficult time to be gay.
“Homophobia was rife, and it was made worse when the AIDS crisis of the 80s began. A lot of us were shunned for being gay, even by our families. When I used to drink in other ‘straight bars’, once you had finished with the drink, they would smash the glass because of the fear of catching AIDS.
“We were going through things psychologically with having to watch our friends die and worrying that we had AIDS ourselves.”
Sahir has stepped in to help facilitate and coordinate the community-led Pride. However, with only a few weeks’ notice, the charity has created a GoFundMe to help with the costs. The target is £60,000 to deliver the celebrations, with any surplus of the funds raised being used to protect the life-changing work Sahir does all year round. You can donate here.
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Speaking about the size of the gay scene back then, John said it “wasn’t that big” and consisted of just a couple of hundred people, which pales in comparison to Liverpool’s LGBTQ+ community today.
To avoid any potential danger, he and his friends would travel in groups to and from The Masquerade, “running from the previous bar” in hopes of dodging “any trouble”.
He added: “It was one of the very places for the community to go to. It was like a form of escapism. We always asked for David Bowie, had a laugh and danced, but then every couple of months, you would be scared of it getting raided.
The Masquerade Club was part demolished to make way for Clayton Square Shopping Centre years ago(Image: Laura Lees)
“Thankfully, I still have the friends to this day I met at The Mazzie. It was a very friendly atmosphere, and that’s probably because we all knew each other because there weren’t that many of us who were out.”
Despite being over four decades ago, John still retains sharp memories of the place, particularly of co-owner Harry, who was known for circulating around the premises with a tray of “stale” sandwiches. John said no night felt complete without Harry chatting out of the side of his mouth whilst offering you a spam or cheese sandwich.
The original Masquerade had been one of the city’s first gay bars, located near to Clayton Square, until it closed in the 1980s. When the original Masquerade was closed this new venue opened on Cumberland Street and was named in its honour.