The councils motives were questioned soon after, however, when it was revealed the club had already been ringfenced for demolition and development over the next few years by the owners. Ch N. Katz In Brick Lane was a small string and paper bag supplier until the late 1990's. Rising rents forced out the Owner after 57 years. Eight Liverpool nightclubs from the 90s everyone still remembers 6. 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. 18. The Kingsland Road venue was once "the coolest bar around." Great article Tom. The sad fact of the matter is that there aren't the same options there used to be. lol, The tranny on stilts best dominic madden, Sundays @ The End with The A corner crew slapping the walls to Malcom Duffy. Bring your dancing shoes and prepare for a night packed with tunes from the likes of Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Drake, Beyonce and Jay-Z as we introduce the best R&B events . Even more so for you, of course! In the 1980s some clubs opened up in Earls Court, where the rent was cheaper. I took a diversion myself up York Way a while back and took similar snaps of Bagleys and The Cross. I have one precious copy, sadly. Sad to see the old clubs flattened, but everyone clearly took so much from their experiences there that I hope the post is also a real celebration. And good to see you the other night (I was in the ridiculous blue jacket). Ultimate . I found some of the pictures a couple of weeks ago including some rather x-rated ones. A string of London's best-loved night clubs have closed since 2000. It was the place to go. Despite pioneering an anything goes party culture in London, by the late noughties, the buzz was fading. He was about 50 years old and massive. Its hours ran from 3am to 1pm on a Sunday afternoon, handily catering to the predominantly gay crowd who wanted to carry on partying after clubs like G-A-Y and Heaven closed. 7. 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. Sign up to our weekly email. Speaking to the Guardian after its closure, Marcus Harris, who co-ran the venues long-running indie night White Heat, described it as a community of fringe culture. No sensible drinking cautions, no smoking bans, and generally less moderation of everything. The End and AKA, West End1995-2009A venue that just seemed to stick in the hearts of all who frequented it, the End was an intimate basement club run by Mr C and Layo, tucked just behind High Holborn. Luckily they are putting up a great fight, so Ministry wont find itself demolished just yet. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. The massive venue had a 24 hour drinking licence and a 4,0000 people capacity. Timeline of London Bars and Clubs - LGBT Archive Nice read Scary thought that Ive actually worked at all of them!!! Located in the west lodge outside Euston Station, it ran from 1995 to 2008. The likes of Oasis and Nirvana played there and it hosted regular LGBT club nights. But things turned sour after after a double stabbing took place in the club, leading to its licence being revoked. Hope youre healthy and happy Every club claims that its all about the music but in Plastic Peoples case, the ideology really did manifest. The End, The Cross, Turnmills and Bagleys were all favourites. Its also a shame to lose 93 Feet East recently too. Now the industrial area, which was once a high-density party hotspot, is the site of one of the capitals biggest modern developments. 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. Sold out, obviously, although there might be a ticket on the door for 30. You had, in all probability, just left Turnmills, the first club in the UK to receive a 24 hour license. Regulars over the years have included Michael Caine, Keith Moon and Jack Nicholson. . I stood at one and there was one in between us, unmanned. 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. Great article, and Ill second and third and fourth what has been said here. I was there solidly for several years and partook in all you have mentioned above (and more). Last minute gifts? If you were staggering down the Clerkenwell Road on a Sunday afternoon at around 4pm in the early '90s then you can consider yourself a true nightclub pioneer. Thats brought back some memories. By the mid-1990s the venue was no longer used as a cinema, instead functioning as a music venue, nightclub and snooker hall. Madame JoJos, Soho1960-2014The legendary nightclub once owned by porn baron Paul Raymond seamlessly mixed the burlesque glamour of Soho with Londons contemporary music scene. Because of the sleazy, druggy, mischievous late night vibe (exactly what makes such haunts so exciting), we tend to reduce their cultural significance. Read more: Has Covid-19 ended Sohos indie spirit for good? Ask Billy if there are more? Eighties London: where to party like it's 1980 | London Evening 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. Peter Gatien's daughter Jen Gatien made a documentary called Limelight in 2011, about New York City night life in the 1990s and the rise and fall of her father's club empire. 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. . Its the perfect lunchtime read. Ive had experiences at all of these nightclub venues and brought back many memories reading your article. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. I would also like to add The Blue Note to this list of sadly missed. 13. In the 1950s and 1960s, especially with the growing popularity of the Gateways nightclub in Chelsea, . The arcade room downstairs Im rambling anyway. Despite a big campaign to save it, the club fell victim to a compulsory purchase order from Hackney council to build a new cinema. London nightclubs facing 'perfect storm' of threats . One for you beer and one for the otherThat place was magic. By the 90s, everyone from Desmond Dekker to the Prodigy had played there. Pete x. Im good thanks Pete. A dominant hair design was de rigueur. MoS is an institution, still respected by much of the dance music cognoscenti but derided in many quarters for having long since become the Bluewater of nightclubs; mostly now populated by coach parties from Essex. The music, the mixing, the vibe. I remember one of their selling points was drinks at pub prices. I used to be the membership girl at Freedom. The Top 10 Rave venues of the Nineties | Junglist Network I was a fresh of the boat straight laced Kiwi lad who was let loose in London in the mid nineties , I was lucky to become a promoter of Fevah and Fahrenhite ,I was blessed with bring able to run events in most of the iconic venues , experience the glamour and the seedy side of all , to me the cream was either the sound shaft or the London Astoria , but have so many sensational memories and adventures from most . Ill email you! A perfect storm of London property economics, redevelopment zones and major transport improvements (rather than any lack of interest from music fans) has seen off an unprecedented number of key venues in the last few years. In its 80s heyday, Limelight was one of London's top nightclubs and a hangout for the decade's biggest celebrities. how about PLEASED on a wednesday at the Velvet underground !!! Saw Joey Negro play there a few times. Sir Bob Geldof had his stag do at Limelight before he married Paula Yates in 1986. For a year or so, this was an explosion of androgyny, increasingly bizarre and fabulous homemade fashion and lashings of clunky, proto synths. We need a new visionary. The End was the brainchild of DJs Mr C and Layo. When it opened, the Fridge was the club of the New Romantics - Boy George was a regular - before becoming famous for its nights hosted by Soul II Soul. But Crossrail was the final nail in the coffin for the much-loved Soho venue. The duo ran the popular basement club in Holborn for years. I completely agree would be a fitting tribute to see them all immortalised appropriately in some way. I was there at the closing parties on the last two nights without leaving! Reading this article has caused me new inspiration watch out London. It was where world-famous artists like Adele and The XX cut their teeth, and was a gem of the North London nightlife scene. The smell of leather was unmistakeable! In pictures: The history of some of London's iconic music venues It is quite sad seeing a place that holds so many memories for whatever reasons e.g. Madonna, Bjork and Kate Moss all turned up over the years and versions of Trade popped up in Ibiza, New York and LA. London Boys singles chronology. Must be sat looking pretty on a fair few coffee tables to this day, The cross & turnmills, nothing did or has come close. 18 things that happened at former top West End nightclub - MyLondon Amen. The club was renamed Canvas in 2003, when Billy Reilly took over the club, also opening the Key and the Cross next door, creating a golden triangle of clubbing in N1. 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. Nick, the big bald black guy who always had a smile on his face, pretty much the master of ceremonies at Turnmills. Bagleys was always my favourite. The venue hosted international DJs as well as some seminal club nights such as broken beat fix Co-op and dubstep-founding FWD>>. But in London most places turf revellers out well before 4am and there's a severe lack of "after hour" options. Best crowd ever! You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Electrowerkz was the name!!! He was a sound guy actually. Electric benefits from the amazing history of the Fridge. Here are some of the South London clubs and bars that are sadly no more. I would work a ten hour shift at a newspaper then drive to Bagleys to spend 5/6 hours talking to ravers, taking photos of people, checking they werent eating their tongues and giving out free condoms (Durex sponsors had given us hundreds of boxes of the things). Sat 30 May 2020 17.00BST But if you were part of that tiny privileged crowd then you would have been drinking, dancing and pestering David Bailey to take your portrait in Scotch of St. James. Cramming into clubs packed with big hair, booze and pounding music was a rite of passage in the 1980s and into the 1990s. I had some of the best days of my life there! Now can you expand on one for the rest of London please, would love to see Club UK brought back to life if only in words! If you were staggering down the Clerkenwell Road on a Sunday afternoon at around 4pm in the early 90s then you can consider yourself a true nightclub pioneer. Velvet Rooms, Soho1993-2003Ibiza party man Nicky Holloway kickstarted this central London club originally named Velvet Underground after his previous project, Milk Bar, lost its lease. Mass was a particularly important south London club, notably as the home of DMZ, which turned the venue into a pilgrimage spot for dubstep fans from way beyond the capital. The Astoria, Soho1976-2009Not even Londons largest live music club could stand in the way of the Crossrail development. Hes right. The brand name is constantly evolving and the club continues to survive despite numerous threats of closure. London's lost nightclubs in pictures A new book by DJ and writer Dave Haslam offers a fascinating glimpse into London's clubbing history. In the 1990s, the scene reverted back to Soho, revitalised by new style bars like The Village. The Top 5 Lost London Nightclubs of the 90s : london - reddit Thanks Tom sad to read but glad youve documented. RIP Turnmills, Im glad I was there to experience it. 2021-2023 - Luxury London. Special times in special places all round though. Went to all of them, I think Turnmills shades it for me for atmosphere, but I probably had my best nights out at the End. 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. New venues although arguably more suitable in some considerations like Matter just dont possess the necessary special ingredient like the late great Turnmills anymore. It has St Martin's Art College in Granary Square and Thomas Heatherwick's upmarket shopping centre Coal Drops Yard. This article was amended on 11 September 2016. Councils across London are cracking down on late night licences. Hi Martyn! 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. A bare room with the most rudimentary of bars at one end (cans of Red Stripe or nothing) in a Hoxton basement, the place came to prominence in the Nineties and Noughties as an incubator for dubstep and for possessing one of the greatest sound systems ever owned by a nightclub. With the post-lockdown future of so many live music venues in doubt, Paul Tallings new book is a timely reminder of what we have already lost. No 6 - Bagleys - London Bagleys was one of London's largest venues throughout the Nineties. Anyway, as the corridor joined Soundshaft to Heaven (and Heaven being pretty legendry), I decided to go to the loo. Astor Club - Wikipedia 9/10 you lose 1 point for making me feel old! The Moonstone, St John's Precinct, 1974, from The Lost Pubs and Clubs of Liverpool City Centre DVD by John Harrison Barry Fairfield said: "Great memories, my favourite club was The Beachcomber." 53. We also ran revesceen magazeen Perhaps its biggest night was FWD>>, which moved there after Velvet Rooms closed, and the club played a significant role for the the whole dubstep scene. Wow. The massive warehouse club in King's Cross was a close as you could get to a legal rave. I was the promoter of Double Dipped at Bagleys on Friday nights around 91 93 We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Heads of whistling into the sunset. #5 Where could you find warehouse raving complete with funfair rides right in the heart of the capital? The Cross, bouncers nicking you gear *unts. (1989) " London Nights " is British Europop duo London Boys ' biggest hit single, released in 1989 from their debut album, The Twelve Commandments of Dance. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. We could party on until 1pm without worrying if the police were going to turn up, says Smokin Jo, who was resident DJ at the night. Matter, Greenwich2008-2010It was perhaps always a slightly over-optimistic proposition opening a nightclub in Greenwich, let alone one inside the Millennium Dome, but if anyone was going to have a good stab at it, then it would be the pair behind Fabric: Cameron Leslie and Keith Reilly. It set the tone for mixed gay clubbing and for techno music especially to become more mainstream. Memorable days and nights. If anyone sees them please can you let me know? But in the 1990s it was plagued by bad publicity and following a drug-related . It had to close due to Network Rail redevelopment in 2013. 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. Those that were there will never forget and those that werent would wish they were if they knew. Clubs in London I Best Nightclubs | London Night Guide Limelight in London was one of a string of Limelight clubs owned by Canadian Peter Gatien - other Limelight clubs in the chain were in Hallandale in Florida, Atlanta, Chicago and New York City. magazine. Essex nightlife: The 13 iconic nightclubs and bars around - EssexLive Despite the epic interior, or perhaps because of it, the venue struggled to pull in the punters during its later years, blaming the recession for its eventual closure. Since June 15, non-essential shops have been able to reopen and now leisure attractions are starting to open as well. This made me rather emotional. Constant disagreements on how to regenerate the land behind Kings Cross Station went on for years. Before the Millenium Dome became the O2 Arena we know today it was home to a couple of nightclub's. Now, is that the same Tom Kihl I employed in the heady days of Covent Garden based vegetarian restaurants? migrated from the Milk Bar around the corner, Danny Rampling ruled wednesday night, and Jon Pleased took over the tradition.Shoom, Pure, Glam, Pleased the weekends fun used to begin on a wednesday,,,,OMG !! It was where world-famous artists like Adele and The XX cut their teeth, and was a gem of the North London nightlife scene. But the party was brought to an abrupt end after a stabbing there led it to lose its licence and subsequent closure. Fantastic and long-needed article, thanks for bringing back the memories. 10. 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.. 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. If you screwed up, you were thrown to the lions. After 14 years, however, its owners wanted to move on, saying they wanted to leave on a high. Im amazed u didnt mention that John Newman was the father of both Danny and Paul Newman. 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. We went to the opening night of Fabric. We set the standard for many years I wonder.. What can we create next >?? Same here. These exclusive extracts and photos tell the story of. so much fun should be illegal. 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. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Remaining stock was given away free at the apocalyptically hedonistic farewell party so they do crop up online occasionally. The venue reopened as Electric Brixton the following year, but as owner Andrew Czezowski told the South London Press when it was put up for sale: Whoever buys it, if they buy it, they are only getting bricks and mortar., Cable, London Bridge2009-2013This cavernous 1,300-capacity club, located beneath the railway arches of London Bridge station, was as renowned among clubbers for its airport-style security as for its bass-heavy parties and rapid rise as a significant dance music brand. Nice article that has brought back some wonderful memories. 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. It became louder and louder. Then of course there was The Fridge, Studio 33, and some fantastic railway arch clubs buried away around London (Imperial Rooms in Camberwell New Road a particular memory). Bagleys moody security also trying to half in your gak. Ministry of Sound. Copyright 2023 London Belongs To Me Ltd|All Rights Reserved|More info: With your agreement, we and our partners (click on 'Find Out More' below for a list) use cookies or similar technologies to store, access, and process personal data like your visit on this website, IP addresses and cookie identifiers. Surely he must be out by now. A former Goth club with 2/3 rooms over 2 floors. Crazy night. This week, Boris Johnson has been considering a decision that will affect the future of Londons most famous nightclub. Its a hardback coffee table monster, full of lovely photos and quotes. Some of the greatest nights of my life have been at FWD>> at Plastic People.. London's lost nightclubs in pictures - Time Out London The sound shaft and heaven where legendary , as was the London Astoria, Fascinating to read about the origins and teams behind such monumental moments in Londons clubbing history. So sad to see it all boarded up. Cheers Mike. Don't skip a beat and sign up to The 12 newsletter here. It had its licence revoked after a "serious incident of disorder" in 2014 and its closure left many Londoners with heavy hearts.