ONCE upon a time it was one of the country's most famous nightclubs.
The likes of Frankie Vaughan, Roy Orbison and Louis Armstrong played there.
Now the name of Batley Variety Club is to live again.
A consortium of local businessmen announced their intention after buying the Frontier, the successor to the legendary club.
They will rename it this year and bring back live acts featuring famous names.
Stephen Battye, one of the men behind the new venture, said: "We can't promise world-class stars every week.
"But we certainly want to try and pull in today's top entertainers, such as comedian Peter Kay."
The old Variety Club attracted thousands of people in its 1960s heyday.
Morecambe and Wise, Shirley Bassey and Ken Dodd played there.
The club - the idea of showman Jimmy Corrigan - flourished for a few years before rising costs brought it down.
Mr Battye, a director of Redbrick Mill in Batley, is part of a consortium of five which will bring the old club to life again.
There had been fears it would be knocked down for housing development.
Mr Battye said it would have been a crime if the club had been lost.
"There is a resurgence in live acts and people want to be in the room with an entertainer -– not with a pair of binoculars and a seat at the back of an arena," he said.
Frontier club nights will continue from Thursday to Sunday, with live entertainment from Monday to Wednesday.
The club will also be promoted for conferences, presentations and award ceremonies.
The managing director will be property developer Neil Fahey, who is commercial director of Dewsbury Rams.
Day-to-day running of the club will be in the hands of John Hill, former operations manager at the Headingley Experience at Headingley Stadium in Leeds.
Mr Battye said the club was a key part in boosting the fortunes of the town.
"It is our ambition to see the Bradford Road corridor regenerated," he said.
