I was also staying with a mate who was at Manchester Uni, before booking into a hotel on the Sunday night as I was on a course for work. Also went to Blackpool on a Saints Social Club coach. Run in opposition to the brand new Travel Club. We had booze and no bingo.
The Plaza was still open for the next few years as I visited in every time I was up there. It also had Killer, which was the one below Suicide.