Nottingham over-30s ravers enjoy 'first night out in 20 years'

Day Fever
Day Fever came to Nottingham on Saturday [BBC]

Ravers let their hair down for the first time in 20 years at an all-day disco at Nottingham's iconic Rock City on Saturday.

Exclusive to the over 30s, Day Fever, was the brainchild of actress Vicky McClure, her TV producer and DJ husband Jonny Owen.

After the success of previous events, the daytime club came to Nottingham, selling 1,800 tickets.

Doors opened at 15:00 BST and friends danced the day away.

Day Fever
Ms Kirlew thought Day Fever was a "brilliant" idea [BBC]

Donna Kirlew from Sherwood had not stepped foot in Rock City for about 20 years.

"I love the idea of going out in the day time," she said.

"I can get home early, it's my age group, my type of people, my type of fun," the 49-year-old said.

Friends Debbie Perkins, 47, and Alex Phillips, 35, from Ravenshead and Papplewick, respectively, were part of a group of mothers with children at the same school.

"We're all letting our hair down today and I think it will be a fab night - fab day, I mean," Ms Phillips said.

Ms Perkins added that she would be "up and ready for football practice" on Sunday morning.

Day Fever
The dance floor was heaving by 17:30 BST [BBC]

For many, Day Fever offered a chance to relive nights out passed with the music they knew and loved without writing off the rest of their weekend.

For 65-year-old Phil Leech from Pinxton, Day Fever was chance to "meet new people" and it was his night out "in 20 years", he said.

He recalled nights out at the Black Orchard club near Lenton Industrial Estate before it closed in 1998.

"There's nothing now for our age unless you want to step out late or early in the morning," he said.

Rock City's dancefloor was heaving by 17:30 BST as Ms McClure's mother joined her behind the decks.

Day Fever
Ms McClure and Mr Owen were joined by Ms McClure's mother on stage [BBC]

Ms McClure said: "The one thing that always happens here is that you capture people just living in the moment and just forgetting their worries."

Nottingham's daytime disco followed the success of other Day Fever events across the country, including in Sheffield, Glasgow and London.

After one event, Mr Owen remembered a woman arrived at the end of night, in her pyjamas to pick up her mother.

"She had fallen asleep in the toilets in the last hour," he said. "[Now] she's on the guest list," Mr Owen said.


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