The Real Phoenix Nights

The Railway Club, a working men’s club in Clacton, Essex, is a local institution. The hub of a thriving community, it has been a lifeline for many working people in the area, and acts as a second family for many. The Railway’s chairman, John, has seen the club open its doors to generations of Clactonians, running everything from bingo nights to karaoke competitions.

But times are hard for this seaside town. The area has an ageing population and has weathered years of economic decline.
We follow The Railway as it seeks to modernise and stay relevant in a changing world. John’s two daughters, Kelly and Emma, have decided to help their father run the club. With a previous career in banking, Kelly has a strong head on her shoulders and wants to drive the business forward, whilst Emma’s kind-heartedness sees her caring out of hours for the older members of the club.

Joining The Railway against the backdrop of rising overheads and an ageing membership, they want to broaden the club’s appeal and keep it from going under. And, above all else, they want to protect an institution which means everything to their father and their community. This is a story about change, tradition, and a family forging an uneasy compromise between the old and the new.

A year on since the original programme aired on BBC1, We Are England returns to the club to find out how they are getting on. Have Kelly and
Emma managed to attract new members, while staying true to John’s old-school approach? And are they managing to stay afloat financially, after a tough pandemic? We catch up with familiar faces to hear what has changed.