Jollees was a live music and cabaret venue in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom. The venue was re-established in March 2016, after having closed in 1992. The original venue was opened in October 1973 and was the largest capacity cabaret venue in the UK in the 1970s. It also hosted the World Professional Darts Championship from 1979 to 1985.
Its capacity of 1,790 made it the country's biggest cabaret venue in the 1970s.[2] Its location in one of England's smaller cities meant that some acts were initially reluctant to appear and only did so after their peers had performed there.[2]
After cabaret performances stopped, the venue continued as a night spot and, in the late 1980s, hosted rave nights, featuring DJs who would later work at Shelley's Laserdome.[8] Financial losses resulted in the venue's closure in 1992.[2]
2016 reopening
The owners of a Stoke bar purchased the rights to the name and reopened the venue in their bar, with a 300-capacity.[9]
