11 March 2024 , 10:41
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Hundreds of middle-aged revellers took the dance floor at the weekend amid a growing trend for day-time discos - including a woman celebrating her 80th birthday.
Around 800 ageing ravers flocked to Vicky McClure's Day Fever event at Sheffield City Hall's ballroom venue in South Yorkshire, on Saturday to dance - and be home by 9pm. The party was created by actress Vicky McClure, her husband Jonny Owen, Reverend and the Makers frontman Jon McClure, his brother Chris and their friend Jim O'Hara.
The first event was in Sheffield in December last year and since then, thousands of over 30s have attended events across the UK. Partygoers spend the afternoon dancing to classic disco hits including 'Just Can't Get Enough' by Depeche Mode and 'The Only Way Is Up' by Yazz.
They can even grab a bite to eat while they are dancing - as pizza, burgers, chicken and chips and cheesy chips are all on the menu. Irene Barber celebrated her 80th birthday at the event alongside daughter Rachel and niece Emma. Speaking as she was queuing for the disco, Irene said: "My beautiful niece organised this for me."
Day Fever, Sheffield Ball Room, a day time night club (SWNS)"I was so surprised when they told me I was going here as I thought it was just bottomless brunch. I can't wait to go in - I can't wait to hear all the music." Emma added: "We did this as a surprise for her 80th birthday, she loves dancing so we went to bottomless brunch before."
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"It was hard to decide what to do but this is fantastic - we couldn't have gone to bingo." Debbie Dearing, 49, managed to secure tickets for the sold-out daytime disco after seeing it advertised on social media. She says she 'loves' the music at the event but is glad she can get home by 9pm.
Debbie, of Rotherham, said: "I saw it advertised on social media so decided to get tickets. It's really good that it's in the daytime because I can get home and then I'm not wasting my Sunday. I love the music they play as well - there's been nothing like this before."
Andy Loukes, 63, attended the event for the first time with wife Julie, 63, and said he's glad he can 'back home for 9pm watching Match of the Day. He said: "This is my first time going after seeing it advertised on Instagram. We can re-live our youth and then be back home for 9pm watching Match of the Day. I can't wait to listen to a bit of Saturday Night Fever."
Matt Milnes, 51, went to Day Fever with wife Emily, 49, and said the event was a 'proper blast from the past.' He said: "We saw it online, the others events had sold out but we were able to get tickets for this one. I used to go clubbing here years ago so it's a proper blast from the past."
Day Fever at Sheffield Ball Room (SWNS)Emily added: "I'm looking forward to all sorts of music - but I think we'll be going out after." Filmmaker Jonny Owen says he created the event for 'people who are a little older' but who still want to go on a night out. He said: "The idea had been circling around in my head for a few years but nobody took me seriously. It's meant to be for people who are a little bit older.
"When you are in your early twenties, going out at night is like an adventure. But then when you get older, you realise nothing ever gets better at night. People will be home for 9pm - Sundays used to be a write off but now people wake up as fresh as a daisy."
In the next couple of months, Day Fever will be coming to Nottingham, Manchester Brighton, Edinburgh, Leeds, Bristol and Liverpool. Jon McClure says he felt 'unbelievable' after the last event - and even did 14,000 steps while dancing. He said: "I felt unbelievable after dancing at the last event, I did 14,000 steps. I went for a meal with my wife after the event and then went home in a taxi. Because it was Christmas, we could see people coming out of M&S with their shopping bags which was insane."