Old nightclub will be converted into apartments

Tuesday, 7 October 2025 13:53

By George Lythgoe

Building on corner of Drake Street and Smith Street

An 18th century building that was once home to ‘The Nile’ nightclub in Rochdale will be transformed into apartments.

The Georgian-era building, on the corner of Drake Street and Smith Street, was originally the Wellington Hotel before changing hands multiple times over the last two centuries.

Most recently, the ground floor of the town centre building was the home to the Bombay Brew restaurant, and on September 11, it became home to Moody Blue, a new bar, their Facebook can be found here.

Developers, Cassel & Fletcher, now has planning permission to convert the upper floors of the Grade-II listed building into 10 apartments across the first and second floor. The scheme also includes the creation of a seven-bedroom house of multiple occupation (HMO) on the third floor.

The apartments would be a mix of one and two-bed homes, with one studio. The commercial space on the ground floor is not included in the plans.

No car parking is included in the proposal, but the building faces Rochdale tram stop and has easy access to town centre shops and other transport links.

A heritage statement read: “It was built between about 1764, when the vicar gained powers to grant building leases, and 1795, as a town house for Thomas Smith (1743-1806), a wealthy woollen merchant who built fulling mills behind it.

“It was later a school, then from 1818 the Wellington Hotel. Between 1825 and 1839 the police commissioners met here.

“In 1844, the building was still owned by the Smith family and the hotel was run by Elizabeth Richardson.”