London nightclubs facing 'perfect storm' of threats . Best London Club and Rave Venues that are now closed This week, Boris Johnson has been considering a decision that will affect the future of London's most famous nightclub. With alternate Saturdays at Happiness Stan's/Fourplay at Smith's and the Jazz Bistro in Farringdon. The single was written and produced by Ralf Ren Mau, and its cover artwork features . Much better than the cross! Back then, the huge 2,000 capacity venue was a Saturday night lockout and one . Great article and very sad reading. http://www.amazon.co.uk/CROSS-1993-2003-Jonathan-CUTTING/dp/B0010786KI. Fabric is the Only venue to stick to its principles avoiding putting in any old rubbish that draws a crowd. Ruby Violet: NW5s pioneering ice cream parlour to close, Let It Roll Records closes. The brand name is constantly evolving and the club continues to survive despite numerous threats of closure. Top 5 Lost London Nightclubs of the 90s Former DJ Magazine Deputy Editor Tom Kihl investigates what happened to the clubs that once dominated London's nightlife By Tom Kihl March 1, 2013 T his week, Boris Johnson has been considering a decision that will affect the future of London's most famous nightclub. We will provide guestlist and table booking services absolutely free, and on top of these we can give you great benefits so you can surely enjoy your nightout. Rather than join the party, Hackney council revoked the clubs licence following an undercover operation into drug dealing at the venue. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. The massive warehouse club in King's Cross was a close as you could get to a legal rave. A real eye opener, that night. I will never stop thinking it was incredible. Throughout the 90s and 00s the venue attracted party-lovers from far and wide and also played host to a number of big-name acts. If anyone sees them please can you let me know? Luxury London is not responsible for the content of external sites. There were a couple of years I was there 8 nights out of the Christmas/ New Year season. Pete.. Four Aces, Dalston1966-1998In what was, ostensibly, a simpler time for Dalston, the Four Aces was the areas flagship club. 14. Clip ref DW0126681990s Ministry of Soun. It was made for DJs by DJs and those who fumbled fumbled spinning the decks were quickly called out by the crowd. I was there at the closing parties on the last two nights without leaving! For a year or so, this was an explosion of androgyny, increasingly bizarre and fabulous homemade fashion and lashings of clunky, proto synths. Over the next few pages, we show you whats become of these former nightlife hotspots, and pay tribute to the glorious madness they once hosted. Hope you are too. Sad to see the blandification of London continues. At the Astoria I met a bloke who ended up being my significant other for a decade. Despite quality residencies from the likes of Hospitality and a body kinetic dance floor, the club eventually closed due to financial difficulties, blamed on delays with the upgrade to the Jubilee line. Was often at Bagley's but it was never my first choice. And some ex-boxer DJ? Behind the clubs infamous pitch-black curtains, the dance floor was like the vortex that drew you bodily and consciously into a completely free space. It was 2 for a beer which was great value at the time. Would have kept going there for anniversary, shame its closed but glad weve done it all at the best times, Im an Aussie that worked the doors at imperial garden, car wash gigs, sunny side up, cafe de Paris (wanky but fun). (1989) " London Nights ". It was the image I had in my head before we got there of what Heaven might be like and then this guy walked in. In 1979 it was from this Covent Garden spot that the New Romantic movement came forth to rescue England from a music scene of lumpen post-punk mediocrity. Ive loved reading ur write up about the old clubs and the memories came flooding back with the pics!! So goooood memories!!!! Reminded me of my mis-spent but highly pleasurable youth on the dance floors of a London. Depressing isnt it? Since June 15, non-essential shops have been able to reopen and now leisure attractions are starting to open as well. Many thanks House night Freedom ran at the club for years and Philip Sallons Mud Club also took place there, as well as the Pussy Posse Party, which included mud-wrestling. Magic was created on those dancefloors and longstanding relationships and friends. The clientele these days is more likely to include the sons and daughters of sheiks and potentates quaffing Cristal and dancing to mainstream RnB but the restaurant area (yes, this is one of those kinds of nightclubs) still sees the odd A-lister float by when theyre in town. Its the perfect lunchtime read. 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Andy Warhol, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart, Grace Jones, Debbie Harry, Village People's Randy Jones and Tom Cruise were all names seen at the Atlanta club, which closed in 1985. The music, the mixing, the vibe. it probably was ha ! Jon Cook. Its sudden closure came as a big shock to staff and owners; Network Rail turned up with angle grinders, cut through the metal shutters and took possession of the venue so it could go ahead with its station upgrade plans. No sensible drinking cautions, no smoking bans, and generally less moderation of everything. Excellent piece Tom. Heads of whistling into the sunset. Electric benefits from the amazing history of the Fridge. Amen. I half remember a night at Bagleys sitting in an ice cream fridge next to the dancefloor. In the early 2000s it incorporated the successful Pitt Street club Sublime in the late 1990s, run by Simon Page. The Shim Sham Club, which opened on Wardour Street in the mid-1930s, was described as 'London's miniature Harlem'. The huge venue, which filled six arches, brought a Balearic party vibe to a run-down corner of London, with club nights including Glitterati and Cheeky People. -d(-L-)b-. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. New venues although arguably more suitable in some considerations like Matter just dont possess the necessary special ingredient like the late great Turnmills anymore. The best til last- no one did it like The End. Its a shame that the ones boarded up or abandoned arent brought back to life. Standouts would have to be Logical Progression and Gallery at Turnmills, Buzzin Fly, Ram and Underwater @ The End and Type and the mighty Peace Division @ The Cross happy, happy times. Its industrial settings and position in the centre of London made it a unique offering. You can withdraw your consent or find out more by clicking on our Privacy Policy link below. But its about the memories though, for me. As I looked up from the urinal, there was this dude, about 6foot 6, clad in all leather, not too dissimilar to that of the guys in the Blue Oyster bar in the Police Academy films, peaked cap, studded peak, leather trousers, jacket. Ask Billy if there are more? It is quite sad seeing a place that holds so many memories for whatever reasons e.g. Zen's Dartford First Flicks in the 1980s and later Zen's, the nightclub on Essex Road was more recently known as Air & Breathe. hope youre well? You had, in all probability, just left Turnmills, the first club in the UK to receive a 24 hour license. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 6. The End, The Cross, Turnmills and Bagleys were all favourites. He then says, whilst his tash does this little dance/shuffle thing, in the deepest booming, bass-like voice Awighht, Lads, you havin yerselves a good night, then? Me and my brother just cracked up. The award-winning print and online title Kentishtowner was founded in 2010 and is part of London Belongs To Me, a citywide network of travel guides for locals. Dirty, worn, in your face, street cred with banging, hard but funky beats. It always felt like it was on borrowed time after that. Unfortunately, I cant say I experienced all of them. A producers first booking at the club was a serious rite of passage. I discovered house music whilst on holiday in Ibiza in 1990 and after that London was the only place on my to move to list. The West End night spot was based in a former chapel on Shaftsbury Avenue until its popularity declined and sadly, it was sold on and converted into a bar. It drew in big name DJs and its club night FWD>> was a rite of passage for many Londoners going out in the early 2000s. I remember them all so well!! Didnt boy george have a residency there? Same here. From the Kinolibrary archive film collections. Hearing those tunes led to me pestering the record shops for a record I didn;t kow the name of, who it was by but it went something like this Mmmm, mmm,mm uh-uh dah-dah! Bagleys/Canvas, Kings Cross1991-2007Like a legal rave, Bagleys was a huge multi-room warehouse club that held some of Londons biggest Saturday night parties. The Black Sheep Bar in Croydon High Street (Image: David Cook) This High Street venue in Croydon, which was loved for its alternative club nights and live music, closed in 2013 after 15 years in service. There is no place for this kind of establishment in Hackney. Hi Martyn! 3. Bob Geldof had his stag do at Limelight before he married Paula Yates, George Michael (pictured here in 1992) was often seen at Limelight with a woman on his arm, Inside the former Welsh chapel which was once home to the Limelight nightclub. But things turned sour after after a double stabbing took place in the club, leading to its licence being revoked. I used to be the membership girl at Freedom. In the past 15 years, some of best-loved venues of the London club scene have shut their doors, for reasons ranging from crime to gentrification and Crossrail. A great club pre-2001. But many of the places that clubbers flocked to every weekend in their thousands in the post-Criminal Justice Act heyday are being erased from todays landscape. 15. The regulars often spent hours preparing for the night, and the morning the night morphed into. In 1987, Rachel Macmillan, granddaughter of the Conservative prime minister Howard Macmillan, died aged 31 after a night at the Limelight. Turnmills building being totally destroyed is the ultimate, inexcusable vandalism though. Nights spent on the VIP/guestlist gate were also quite entertaining as was the office at 5am in the morning when I went to pick up my wage before driving home to my university campus in Watford. London Night Guide is your nightlife concierge for the most best clubs in London. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Doesnt seem that long now. Maggie's, 329 Fulham Road, SW10 9QL, maggies-club.com The Jazz Caf 5 Parkway Every Saturday night, the Jazz Caf hosts I Love the 80s v I Love the 90s, a retro night combining all the best bits of. I think the concern is that given the way that redevelopment is happening across town, one day soon there wont be any suitable spaces where clubs can settle. The Kingsland Road venue was once "the coolest bar around." Would love to break that story! Boy George worked the cloakrooms, Spandau Ballet played their early gigs here and you simply (for better or worse) would never have heard Ultravox or Visage were it not for the Blitz Club. Love it, smiling from ear to ear thinking about some of them. 3 books with local connections, Two cultural winter highlights: La Maupin and LuYang, 3 things to consider: Makers Market, New Wine Bar and Live Jazz, Leigh Hunt and the secret history of 13 Mortimer Terrace NW5, Its 10 years since Fields Beneath, Camden Brewery, The Grafton and Pizza East opened, The Parakeet, Kentish Town: what you need to know, The Parakeet Kentish Town: ex-Brat chef in the kitchen, A beginners guide to.Harringay Green Lanes. This article was amended on 11 September 2016. I do remember my first time in Trade and deemed it like the descent into Soddom and Gomorrah .. and there were many happy times there after!! There are new plans to take the building into the future - but we really miss how it used to be. These might have often been dank, crumbling, smelly old places, but they are where countless people enjoyed some of the most intense and vital moments of their lives. Nice article Tom, brought back some memories. I remember one of their selling points was drinks at pub prices. Great article. Now, as then, this is still the party spot for the rich and privileged, with a fair smattering of showbiz excess included. Nice article that has brought back some wonderful memories. Its sad though, as these were truly iconic clubs I am not from UK, but had a chance to party in Turnmills and The Fridge at their best times I felt everyone is equal kind of things there. London Boys singles chronology. The venue stopped running the events to save its licence, but as a result lost a lot of money through cancelled bookings and by March 2010 was broke. Maybe we can campaign to put a blue plaque up on the inevitable bland glass front of its replacement I wonder what on earth it would say?! Many clubs in London's West End (Gullivers, Gossips, Crackers, Africa Centre, the 100 Club) and areas like Hackney, Haringey, Brent, Ealing and Lambeth, were now creating a new experience of. 11. A former Goth club with 2/3 rooms over 2 floors. My walk to work takes me past what used to to be the entrance to Turnmills every morning it never fails to bring a smile to my face when I think of the good times I had there. I was just chatting away, when I heard this rhythmic, squeaking sound, along with heavy, thundering footsteps. Whats in the new July issue of Kentishtowner? I walked into the toilet and my brother was stood at the urinal. What is the Cross Book? No 6 - Bagleys - London Bagleys was one of London's largest venues throughout the Nineties. have always wondered where he is now and what hes up to. Real friendships were made, some that lasted a few hours and some, decades. At the fulcrum of the acid house scene, it became absurdly popular, partly thanks to its strawberry scented smoke machines and strobe lights. Despite a big campaign to save it, the club fell victim to a compulsory purchase order from Hackney council to build a new cinema. Sign up to our weekly email. But we've been getting all nostalgic and wishing we could have a final drink at Limelight. Nuff Said. The Blow Up Metro Club, Soho2001-2009Crossrail dealt the West End club scene another blow, taking the scalp of the Metro with the same swoop of the sword that ended the Astoria. It became louder and louder. Located in the west lodge outside Euston Station, it ran from 1995 to 2008. Memorable days and nights. Ill email you! The Norman-style Welsh Chapel was built in 1888 by James Cubitt for inner London's Welsh community and was empty for 15 years before it found new life as nightclub Limelight. We need a new visionary. So sad to see it all boarded up. Cables enraged founder Euan Johnston, who also founded nearby SeOne, said: We were assured when we moved in that we would not be affected by the redevelopment and Network Rail have simply changed their minds We have been brushed aside at every level.. We went to the opening night of Fabric. In 2010 a group which was known for squatting in large homes and embassies moved into the the building. A single noise complaint from posh new residents would threaten their licence and spell the end of one of the last remaining superclubs from the 1990s dance music explosion. Glad you like it Phil. Sir Bob Geldof had his stag do at Limelight before he married Paula Yates in 1986. It was hip long before Shoreditch was, and paved the way for the plethora of nightlife venues that have popped up in the area since. The place declined to the point that, by the 1980s, it was a strip club but was bought out and re-styled as a members only A-list speakeasy in 2012, now attracting Noel Gallagher, Mark Ronson, Harry Styles et al. 10. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. During the 1990s, photographer Steve Eichner documented the rowdy, over-the-top debauchery that was New York City's club scene and nightlife. Ive had experiences at all of these nightclub venues and brought back many memories reading your article. Remember one night trying to adjust the needles for them not to jump on the vinyls. I was the promoter of Double Dipped at Bagleys on Friday nights around 91 93 In Berlin you can rave for days at the Berghain without ever having to leave and in Madrid no one hits the "discoteca" before 4am. We WERE there, we DID live it, and now were sentimental old bastards. Also an important indie music club, the venue a few doors down from Plastic Peoples original address hosted acts including the Klaxons, Kings of Leon, Courtney Love and Mika. Thanks for the article, brought back awesome memories! Fictional clubs. And there are also some intriguing facts about the nightclub's sister venues across the pond. It was where world-famous artists like Adele and The XX cut their teeth, and was a gem of the North London nightlife scene. How weve missed it all: the overly zealous bouncers in high vis jackets by the entrance, the larcenously overpriced plastic bottles of water, the sweaty bloke in the gents toilets who rents the watered down cologne and Chupa Chups lollies concession and the DJ whose pretence of being a serious artist is such that he spends his six hour set peering down at his decks in the manner of an A Level geography student cramming for the final exam. We forgive all this because nightclubs in our fair city also provide some of the most euphorically happy moments of collective felicity and joy that well experience in the course of our lives. Here are some of the South London clubs and bars that are sadly no more. Reliving my 20s again still with a younger GF (cliche alert) and the new wave of EDM. And while theres nothing worse than the club bore going on about how the music and the parties were so much better back in the day, we should give these classic institutions more reverence. Turnmills chutney still so much messy fun. Plus Lion & Unicorn and LGBTQ History Month, Black History Month 2022: 5 picks across Camden, Foodscape: own a vertical plot in Londons first urban farm, Queer Jubilee: Drag at Zabludowicz, Queer Britain and Mighty Hoopla, LGBTQ History Month 2022: top 10 Camden & Islington highlights, My Boy Danny: the acclaimed play tackling LGBTQ hate crime, Where to find the summer special issue and whats in it. surprised Heaven isnt in thereas well as SoundshaftGood article though! By the 1990s gay venues across the country started to transform. Shelves in the loos. It was around the corner from Angel station. All the London clubs now are appearing and disappearing like mushrooms. Sat 30 May 2020 17.00BST Even if we cant and possibly shouldnt prevent their almost inevitably fleeting existence. Limelight in Atlanta was also a place to see and spot celebrities over the years. Nice read Scary thought that Ive actually worked at all of them!!! However, a thumping set and fab laser show by the master PVD at the re-invented Fridge aka Electric Brixton a while ago demonstrated, with the right amount of desire, opportunity and application it can still be done. thanks for the article, spent many crazy nights/days in all of these places, Velvet Underground aside. 2021-2023 - Luxury London. 13. Its really not surprising nobody has any sense of ownership or love for these places, because both promoters and punters are using them on such an ad hoc basis. Jimi Hendrix played his first UK gig here, Paul McCartney, The Who, The Kinks, Rod Stewart and various members of the Stones all partied in this subterranean spot secreted down a cobbled mews behind Fortnum and Mason. But in the 1990s it was plagued by bad publicity and following a drug-related . You can head back to a mate's house and lounge with a cold one until your party mood completely fades, but what if you still have itchy feet and the urge to dance? R&B Clubs And Events In London. It set the tone for mixed gay clubbing and for techno music especially to become more mainstream. Me and my brother went there, 2 days before we flew out to Zante in 1994. The arcade room downstairs Gilles Petterson on Monday, Kenny Hawkes and Luke Solomon on Wednesday, Bryan Gee on Thursday, Garage City on Saturday.