The club did however begin to garner a reputation for violence and gang culture. Former manager Michael Baxendale, brother of former owner Steve, died after being stabbed outside the venue.
Four men were later jailed after their involvement in a mass brawl at the club after it moved to Walker Street near the Wicker. The club closed shortly afterwards.
Speaking to the BBC in 2014, Assistant Chief Constable Paul Broadbent said: “We needed to take some positive police action on a nightclub where guns had been seen and fired. Class A, serious illegal drugs had been seen, sold, used and supplied.
“Criminal gangs from Manchester, Leeds, Leicester and other cities were coming to the Niche to do their business. I’m not allowing that to happen in Sheffield.”
New owner Fraser Rowlin acknowledged the club’s past reputation but said the scene had “come a long way”.
“Obviously, the history is there and it kind of blew up but we are 30 years on now.
“We have moved towards making sure clubs and events we put on are as safe as possible using every form of technology we can.
“The whole nature of that genre has changed. It’s not as gritty and dark as it used to be. It’s transcended that now.”
The return of Niche begins with a night at Network Sheffield, which the owners described as a “homecoming”.
