Introducing The early doors club
From Pilot to Progress to Expansion
The Early Doors Club began as a ground-breaking pilot supported by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, delivered in partnership with Wigan Council. Born at The Snug and built with love for live music, it quickly became something bigger than any of us expected.
Since then, we’ve grown with backing from Arts Council England, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority’s Culture Fund, Wigan Council, Bolton Council and Rochdale Council, securing new multi year investment that will see us expand year on year over the next three years.
TED started in Wigan, but this was never just a Wigan project. From grassroots venues there to new stages in Bolton and Rochdale, we’re bringing accessible, affordable live music to more people across Greater Manchester than ever before, wherever you happen to live.
The Early Doors Club Team with Bek Jones and The Red Clogs at The Snug
Live Music, Without the Barriers
We started The Early Doors Club because we kept seeing the same three things stop people getting to live music: cost, confidence, and getting home.
So we built a model that removes all three.
Every ticket is Pay What You Can, so nobody is priced out before they’ve even walked through the door.
We put shows on in spaces people already know and feel comfortable in—cafes, churches, social clubs and community venues right on the high street—rather than late-night city centre venues that can feel a world away.
And we start early. Doors from 5pm, home by 9, so you’re never stuck working out how you’ll get back once the last bus has gone.
Right now that means gigs at The Snug, St George’s Church and Hindley Social Club in the Wigan borough, Westhoughton Carnegie Hall in Bolton, and St Chad’s Church in Rochdale, and we’re growing every year.
Same brilliant artists, some great venues, just a little earlier, a little friendlier, and a lot more open to everyone.
Success from previous events have shown a positive impact on the local economy – with a recent survey showing that over 62% of visitors regularly go to surrounding bars and restaurants before or after events at The Snug Coffee House.
Live Music. Your Price.
Live music should be for everyone, and that’s exactly what The Early Doors Club is all about.
By bringing exciting performances to unexpected spaces, TED helps drive footfall to local venues, supports our creative economy, and gets people out enjoying their communities again.
Our venues are all easily accessible by public transport, making it even easier to support your local scene.
We’ve now moved from free tickets to a Pay What You Can model. This helps make the project more sustainable while keeping it inclusive.
Whether you pay £1 or £20, there’s no pressure, and every penny goes straight back into TED, supporting local artists, venues, and the future of live music in Greater Manchester.
So, get involved. Tell your mates.
Events are open to everyone aged 12 and over.
If you’d like to bring a younger child, please message us first via social media or email.
James Walsh on stage at St. George’s Church, Tyldesley. Photo Credit R.Bowen Photography.
Meet The venues
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FAQ's
Explore our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section for quick answers and helpful information about The Early Doors Club events.
All Events start at 5PM.
Most Early Doors Club events will have the same running order:
5pm – Doors open
6pm – 1st set / Support act
7pm – 2nd set / Headliner
The Snug – 67a Market Street, Atherton, M46 0DA
St. Georges Church – Elliot Street, Tyldesley, M29 8JE
Northern Monkey Bar – Nelson Square, Bolton, BL1 1AQ
Hindley Social Club – Romford Street, Hindley, WN2 3LW
The Coffee Stop – 23 Railway Road, Leigh, WN7 4AA
We aim to make all our events as accessible as possible. However, we can’t guarantee that all content will be suitable for younger audiences.
Events are recommended for ages 12 and over.
If you’d like to bring a child under 12, please contact us via social media or email before booking.
Most of our events operate on a Pay What You Can basis. That means you choose the price that works for you — whether it’s £1 or £20, it’s completely up to you.
Every penny goes straight back into the project to support local artists, venues, and future gigs.
Book your tickets through Eventbrite – Get Tickets
Yes, there are limits on the number of ticket reservations per booking. We want to keep The Early Doors Club events as accessible as possible for everyone in the borough to enjoy. This also helps to prevent ticket resale and overbooking during busy events.
You can keep up to date with all the latest Early Doors Club gigs and news by joining our mailing list HERE.
4 out of 5 of the venue’s event spaces are wheelchair accessible. However, The Coffee Stop has steep stairs leading to the event space which may be unsuitable for some.
All Early Doors Club venues have licensed bars where you can buy alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks during the event.
The Snug – Free parking is available on Alma Street car park just off Mealhouse Lane. This is a 30 second walk from the venue. Look out for Subway and Sunseekers as a guide.
St. Georges Church – Limited free parking is available on the street outside the church. As this is limited, spaces can be difficult to find, so allow enough time before the gig to get parked up.
The Coffee Stop – Limited street parking is available outside the venue, however, there is paid parking available across the street on the Town Hall car park. This is located on Bengal St, Leigh, WN7 1YA.
Northern Monkey Bar – No dedicated venue parking but there is lots of public parking in and around the town centre.
Hindley Social Club – Yes, there is a small dedicated carpark at the venue, plus street parking in and around the venue.
Yes, all Early Doors Club venues have public transport links nearby. Please check local transport services websites for times and routes but below is a rough guide:
The Snug – as it’s situated in the heart of Atherton, we are on the main bus route from many surrounding towns as well as being a short distance from the Train Station.
St. Georges Church – Tyldesley is on the V1 and V2 bus route which stop at Astley Street and is a 5-10 minute walk to the venue.
The Coffee Stop – Leigh Bus Station is a 2-minute walk away from the venue.
The Hideout – Both Wigan Wallgate and Wigan North Western train stations are close by.