I Did the lighting and laser systems at turnmills for many different promoters. 12. 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. I also have a book given out on The Ends 10th birthday which is a coffee table book but still good. Here are some of the South London clubs and bars that are sadly no more. surprised Heaven isnt in thereas well as SoundshaftGood article though! Were you a Crank? Special times in special places all round though. 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Have some great memories from that place when the people from Hooj used to celebrate their parties there. An earlier version said incorrectly that the Turnmills site was developed into flats. The triple-bowed frontage of the Ace Cinema viewed from the south-west. 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. It was around the corner from Angel station. 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. According to its owners, the time felt right to move on. Keeping mine though , Sounds great, have been looking for a fb page for The Cross but cant find anything at all, would be amazing to see pics over the years, Its a hardback book called the cross 1993-2003 by j. cutting. Its a hardback coffee table monster, full of lovely photos and quotes. But Crossrail was the final nail in the coffin for the much-loved Soho venue. Amen. We do have to move on though and surely there are opportunities for a new generation of people who want to create new nightclub venues, with fresh ideas. A great article , and so sad that many of these truly iconic places may be but a memory in the minds of millions . 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 . Lead singer of the pop group Visage Steve Strange (left) pictured with Boy George at London's Limelight. We WERE there, we DID live it, and now were sentimental old bastards. Trying to find your mates The End was the brainchild of DJs Mr C and Layo. Killjoy councils, student debt and stolen phones: the slow death of British clubs, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Oh, the most impressive handlebar tash I have ever seen on a Man. Memories of its glamorous showbiz past as one of the places to be seen in London in the 1980s echo around through the wall of this beautiful piece of architecture. Gilles Petterson on Monday, Kenny Hawkes and Luke Solomon on Wednesday, Bryan Gee on Thursday, Garage City on Saturday. Ultimate . One for you beer and one for the otherThat place was magic. Crazy night. Sorry the plaque should be pale blue with a Dove on it. 3. The sad fact of the matter is that there aren't the same options there used to be. 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. Fantastic times. When the lease ran out, Turnmills left amicably, leaving the buildings owners to develop the site into an office block. With increasing interest in the 'pink pound', gay pubs and clubs proliferated in London and other cities and towns across the country. Those that were there will never forget and those that werent would wish they were if they knew. I half remember a night at Bagleys sitting in an ice cream fridge next to the dancefloor. 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. Great article. Clip ref DW0126681990s Ministry of Soun. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. 10. . The single was written and produced by Ralf Ren Mau, and its cover artwork features . 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. morning, Available for everyone, funded by readers. Turning around and seeing floor fountains and Mail on Sunday readers sipping lattes and eating Danish pastries made my heart sink. But before it was shut down to make way for King's Cross redevelopment, The Cross Club's six arches would fill with partygoers every weekend. http://www.amazon.co.uk/CROSS-1993-2003-Jonathan-CUTTING/dp/B0010786KI. Read more: Has Covid-19 ended Sohos indie spirit for good? Stars from the world of the music who were regulars at the nightclub included Boy George, Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and Steve Strange. In 1987, Rachel Macmillan, granddaughter of the Conservative prime minister Howard Macmillan, died aged 31 after a night at the Limelight. I was there at the closing parties on the last two nights without leaving! 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. It most certainly is me. Bagatelle Card Club - One of Colonel Sebastian Moran's clubs in the Sherlock Holmes story The Adventure of the Empty House. But things turned sour after after a double stabbing took place in the club, leading to its licence being revoked. Arts charity Stone Nest began to restore and redevelop the former chapel into flexible performance space for theatre, dance, music, video and performance art in 2012. A most excellent post Tom.. Pete.. The exterior of Hammersmith Palais nightclub in 1968 when it was still known as Hammersmith Palais de Danse . Great memories of perhaps the greatest clubbing/club music period history has known! People from across the capital will flock to Herbal, an exposed brick warehouse which regularly hosted big name DJs. In the 90s, it was all about wild weekly. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. The plan was to go up there, see someone and come back. best dominic madden, Sundays @ The End with The A corner crew slapping the walls to Malcom Duffy. Great memories though. Find out what is now open where you live by putting your postcode into our handy widget below. Many a themed student bash was hosted at London Bridge's notorious Cable Club in the mid 2000s. The End just had to be #1 It was 2 for a beer which was great value at the time. I dont think so. Shelves in the loos. Depressing isnt it? However, I do hold dear the fact I took advantage of the last ever NYE at The End..needless to say Laurent Garnier did not disappoint:). After searching for ages Ive just stumbled across an archaic website that still has photos and even videos of all three Kings Cross clubs Canvas, The Cross and The Key. Before and during the Second World War, most lesbian bars and clubs were found in central London. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. London's night-time economy is estimated to contribute 17-26.bn in . 2. From sweaty rave spots to Soho institutions, these are the iconic nightlife haunts we most miss. Seems quite a few people would like to get their hands on The Cross book dont suppose youve got a lockup full of a last, forgotten batch? The West End establishment started out as a burlesque club but later became a staple for Central London's "fringe-culture" community. Do you want to stay up to date with the latest news, views, features and opinion from across the city? I was just chatting away, when I heard this rhythmic, squeaking sound, along with heavy, thundering footsteps. Black Sheep Bar, Croydon. Well, sort of in fairness as all venues involved being pretty blitzed. Best crowd ever! People may rave about London's nightlife, but compared to other big cities, clubs and bars shut early and are expensive. London Night Guide is your nightlife concierge for the most best clubs in London. 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. Whats in the new July issue of Kentishtowner? 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. A far cry from the likes of the Nest or Birthdays, the Aces filled an old Victorian theatre on Dalston Lane where it pioneered black music in the UK before becoming a permanent venue for rave promoters Labyrinth in the late 80s. The works. 4. The haunt of royals and car dealers, gangsters and landed aristocrats, it was a fixture in London nightlife, with the most famous years of the club being the decades between 1950 and 1970. Taking Ecstasy for the first time and experiencing the euphoria of the blissed out Balearic beats at Space nightclub, Oakenfold and his wife Jenni came home and tried to re-create it in a 300 capacity basement gym on Southwark Street. Former DJ Magazine Deputy Editor Tom Kihl investigates what happened to the clubs that once dominated London's nightlife. Nobody came to Plastic People for the glamour or dcor. 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. Limelight in London opened in 1985 in a Grade II listed former Welsh Presbyterian church in Shaftsbury Avenue in the West End borough of Westminster. have always wondered where he is now and what hes up to. By the 1990s gay venues across the country started to transform. 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. Ive loved reading ur write up about the old clubs and the memories came flooding back with the pics!! Boy George was a regular at this New Romantics haunt which hosted some of the capital's biggest gay nights. Reading this article has caused me new inspiration watch out London. Proud2, Greenwich 2011-2012Following the closure of Matter, Alex Proud became the next investor to have a go at making a nightclub at the O2 work. The clubs licence was suddenly revoked after a serious incident of disorder outside the venue, in which, according to the police report, bouncers used baseball bats to fight off a customer who had been throwing bottles at them. Renowned for their sexy vibes, pumping playlists and heaving dancefloors, we've been out to track down the very best places for music in London. The music was smooth and progressive, which moved into a feeling of just less than trance. If the Mayor grants planning permission for a huge development of flats opposite Ministry of Sound, club bosses know their days at the Elephant & Castle bus depot cum internationally renowned temple of DJ culture will be numbered. 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. End of story.. In 2010 a group which was known for squatting in large homes and embassies moved into the the building. Written by. Great article, had some great and messy nights at most of them. For me it was just a little bit over a year that I lived in London. Ive had experiences at all of these nightclub venues and brought back many memories reading your article. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Plus I think Friction was there for a bit to. 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. First there was Matter and then there was Proud2. Remaining stock was given away free at the apocalyptically hedonistic farewell party so they do crop up online occasionally. Having recently celebrated its 50th birthday, Tramp has changed remarkably little in the half century since the small door on Jermyn Street in Mayfair opened its doors. A former Goth club with 2/3 rooms over 2 floors. The place was a really important hub for the fledgling dubstep family, says 6Music DJ Mary Anne Hobbs, who went to FWD>> religiously in the mid-2000s. As of today, we can once again form outdoor queues seemingly without point or purpose, lose our cloakroom tickets and get furiously sweaty to throbbing, seductive and oft just downright filthy beats in darkened rooms until the earliest of hours. 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. At the Astoria I met a bloke who ended up being my significant other for a decade. The Blitz Kids were the gang who unofficially ran the club, with members included Gary and Martin Kemp from Spandau, dance choreographer supremo-to-be Michael Clark and Siobhan Fahey (later of Bananarama). It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Happy days. Good to see http://givingupdrugsforlent.tumblr.com/ in full swing again this year. Where to find the February issue of Kentishtowner, Where to find the January 2019 issue of Kentishtowner, Where to find the December issue of Kentishtowner, http://www.amazon.co.uk/CROSS-1993-2003-Jonathan-CUTTING/dp/B0010786KI, http://wharferj.wordpress.com/2011/09/29/stealth-the-blue-note/. Nick, the big bald black guy who always had a smile on his face, pretty much the master of ceremonies at Turnmills. Fantastic to look through it every so often and remember what wasa very much loved and much missed club . Nice article that has brought back some wonderful memories. 18. Electrowerkz was the name!!! Great article and very sad reading. Nuff Said. They also gave these out at the closing party in a goodie bag with a poster and a sleeping mask! 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. But its about the memories though, for me. To order the clip clean and high res visit http://www.kinolibrary.com. Thats brought back some memories. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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? SeOne, London Bridge2002-2010It was billed as Londons biggest nightclub, a 3,000-capacity venue set in a vast set of arches beneath London Bridge station, known for big-name Saturday nighters as well as regular Moondance raves. 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. So while we salute the nightspots that have weathered the Covid storm, lets now recall the clubs that have fallen, not just during the pandemic but way, way before that, all of whom, in their day, contributed to the aching limbs, sore feet and empty wallets of hedonistic Londoners of yore. Some partners do not ask for your consent to process your data and rely on their legitimate business interest. 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. Even Prince Charles has been to the Limelight club - he was snapped getting out of the royal car as he arrived to attend a reception for the Prince's Trust at the venue in December 1997. Luxury London is not responsible for the content of external sites. In the middle years of the 60s this was the place to be seen. It was the trend-setting precursor to London's super clubs, and transformed the terrain of LGBTQ clubbing in the capital. Sign up to our weekly email. Central to the Black jazz scene at the time, and closely linked with African. The club was also hugely important for the capitals LGBT scene, hosting sellout weekly bonanza G-A-Y, known for getting stars as bright as Kylie and Britney on stage, as well as for dropping balloons on everyone at regular intervals. Sad to see the blandification of London continues. 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. Even if we cant and possibly shouldnt prevent their almost inevitably fleeting existence. It wasnt always such a corporate machine, however. Have to confess my favorites were Frantic at the Academy, and The Fridge. It was in King's Cross's golden triangle of night clubs which all shut down in the face of the area's redevelopment. Thanks for the article, brought back awesome memories! Memorable days and nights. Love it, smiling from ear to ear thinking about some of them. It was like a small amphitheatre with the DJ the absolute centre of attraction, he says. In the 1980s some clubs opened up in Earls Court, where the rent was cheaper. It was made for DJs by DJs and those who fumbled fumbled spinning the decks were quickly called out by the crowd. Didnt boy george have a residency there? Hailed as Kilburn's "last late night venue", The Good Ship announced its closure to the dismay of comedy and live music lovers across London in September 2017. Oasis performed their debut London show at The . But it was torn down in 2009 to make way for the new Elizabeth Line. The End on a Friday and Turnmill on a Saturday were more my thing. 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 !! 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. It was the place to go. Despite pioneering an anything goes party culture in London, by the late noughties, the buzz was fading. lol, The tranny on stilts Turnmills chutney still so much messy fun. Astoria in Charing Cross Road was London's largest live music club for years. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. I found some of the pictures a couple of weeks ago including some rather x-rated ones. circa 1990. I have one precious copy, sadly. For drum and bass legend Fabio, who hosted Swerve, the clubs midweek blowout, every Wednesday, it was one of the first clubs in London built by DJs for DJs. 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. 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. Doesnt seem that long now. -d(-L-)b-. Remind trade on sat nite dj smokin joe the paradise at angel station the lazerodrome in peckam carl cox at m.o.sound crazy nite misss you. Glad you like it Phil. Ah. When I was at DJ Magazine, Paul Oakenfold once said to me that important former nightclubs should, at very least, have a blue plaque on the wall. Electric benefits from the amazing history of the Fridge. Its loyal following of drum and bass fans would flock there every Wednesday for Swerve, the legendary midweek session. Ill email you! We took a nostalgic look back at some of the capital's notorious nightclubs which have all closed since 2000. Finally closing after 18 years in 2008, Trade never again found a permanent home as Turnmills itself was demolished; the site is now home to the most anonymous possible looking corner office block. Bagleys started to go downhill for me after the drugs raid. Paul Tunkin, who ran the club night Blow Up, which took over the running of the venue in 2001, significantly raising its profile, said at the time: It is another nail in the coffin for central Londons live music and club scene.. Four Aces, Dalston1966-1998In what was, ostensibly, a simpler time for Dalston, the Four Aces was the areas flagship club. Or many others, would not stop writing and remembering about them. I remember Bagleys that was a long time ago. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Some of the greatest nights of my life have been at FWD>> at Plastic People.. It later became the Cat's Whiskers club, the Ritzy then Caesars Nightclub. I worked at AKA for many years. Darling, Fantastic article how about expanding the idea to the rest of the country. 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. However, its worth taking a moment to remember that nightclubs, by their very essence, shouldnt outstay their welcome. OMG London clubbing in the 90s, was there ever a time in history that was better? RM 2HTCTTN - Ace Cinema, Alexandra Avenue, Rayners Lane, Harrow, London, 1983. It was the venues teen parties that got it into hot water, however, when police found evidence of underage drinking there in 2009. The massive warehouse club in King's Cross was a close as you could get to a legal rave. 3. next. 16. Peter Gatien produced the 1993 film A Bronx Tale after having produced it as a one-man play. (1989) "Megamix". So move I did, all the way from Helsinki. Cans of beer Enjoyed the trip into nostalgia very much.. Ministry of Sound. Im amazed u didnt mention that John Newman was the father of both Danny and Paul Newman. Its industrial settings and position in the centre of London made it a unique offering. Velvet Rooms on Mondays was one of the only places to continue getting even more spangled Wicked. hope youre well? 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). Gaz ran a weekly night there from. Big small club! I was there solidly for several years and partook in all you have mentioned above (and more). I remember me and my brother went up to Soundshaft one night (I was about 22), with, erm, a couple of associates.. Remember one night trying to adjust the needles for them not to jump on the vinyls. At that time the venue was owned by Terry (cant rememember his surname) and hed made his money from jiffy condoms and then for some reason he got involved with starting up bagleys as a venue R&B Clubs And Events In London. Founded in an old bus garage in 1991, its far from salubrious location deep in pre-gentrification Elephant and Castle gave it genuine edge. 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. (1989) " London Nights " is British Europop duo London Boys ' biggest hit single, released in 1989 from their debut album, The Twelve Commandments of Dance. Its really sad that the times have achanged and in a reflection of this, all these fantastic places are being bulldozed. For a year or so, this was an explosion of androgyny, increasingly bizarre and fabulous homemade fashion and lashings of clunky, proto synths. What is the Cross Book? It was almost impossible due to vibration from the soundsystem Later feeling sick in the stomach because of the same reason. Luckily they are putting up a great fight, so Ministry wont find itself demolished just yet. Im rambling anyway. The club on the corner of Mount Pleasant and Brownlow Hill was one of the city's most famous venues in the 90s. Councils across London are cracking down on late night licences. The Shim Sham Club, which opened on Wardour Street in the mid-1930s, was described as 'London's miniature Harlem'. Hes right. No 6 - Bagleys - London Bagleys was one of London's largest venues throughout the Nineties. Turnmills building being totally destroyed is the ultimate, inexcusable vandalism though. The Cross, bouncers nicking you gear *unts. It closed after an issue with underage drinking was reported in 2009, before re-opening as Electric Brixton. Herbal, Shoreditch2000-2009It was small (and sweaty) but Herbal consistently pounded out some of the best drum and bass in the capital, filling out every Sunday for Grooveriders seminal night, Grace, as well as regularly hosting the likes of Goldie and the Metalheadz crew.
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