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. I took a diversion myself up York Way a while back and took similar snaps of Bagleys and The Cross. Whats in the new July issue of Kentishtowner? Before and during the Second World War, most lesbian bars and clubs were found in central London. but it went wrong after the terrible stabbing on a bank holiday sunday night. 3. 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. 1. Acts to have played The Scala include Foo Fighters, The Killers and Coldplay. Great article, had some great and messy nights at most of them. Its also a shame to lose 93 Feet East recently too. But the party was brought to an abrupt end after a stabbing there led it to lose its licence and subsequent closure. At Camden a Palace, I met my best friend, who is now the godmother of my 7 year old son. Nick, the big bald black guy who always had a smile on his face, pretty much the master of ceremonies at Turnmills. Do you want to stay up to date with the latest news, views, features and opinion from across the city? The basement of 69 Dean Street, Soho, housed Gossips (formerly Billy's) nightclub, which hosted various one-nighters, the best known being Gaz's Rockin' Blues. So move I did, all the way from Helsinki. The Top 10 Rave venues of the Nineties | Junglist Network The Fridge, Brixton1981-2010When 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. Back then, the huge 2,000 capacity venue was a Saturday night lockout and one . All rights reserved. Hey Janine, I remember you well! Luxury London is not responsible for the content of external sites. Nice article Tom, brought back some great memories. It always felt like it was on borrowed time after that. I remember Bagleys that was a long time ago. 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. Bagleys moody security also trying to half in your gak. London nightclubs facing 'perfect storm' of threats . 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). But sadly it never recovered from the initial closure and was put up for sale in 2010. Saw Joey Negro play there a few times. Ill email you! You had, in all probability, just left Turnmills, the first club in the UK to receive a 24 hour license. From the weekly FWD>> nights, where the UK bass scene emerged, to the broken beat nights Co-op, this was a club that managed to evolve and change while somehow remaining the same for over 20 years, a run that ended only when long-standing manager Charlotte Kepel felt the time was right to pull the plug in 2015. 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. I lost my marbles in all of these places in the 90s. Its a hardback coffee table monster, full of lovely photos and quotes. And its not true that they are being lost despite fans interestfans lost interest, or they would all still be milking it! In one fell swoop, however, the Cross, Canvas and the Key were culled in favour of the regeneration of Kings Cross. Essex nightlife: The 13 iconic nightclubs and bars around - EssexLive 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. Then Dane Bowers went and ruined it all. 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. Do you remember these South East London nightclubs? 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. I remember them all so well!! 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. I would also like to add The Blue Note to this list of sadly missed. 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. For me it was just a little bit over a year that I lived in London. Thanks for the article, brought back awesome memories! Now the industrial area, which was once a high-density party hotspot, is the site of one of the capitals biggest modern developments. When a property developer came along offering to buy the End and its sister bar next door, AKA, they decided to accept the offer. Last minute gifts? The street was home to the 1980s Batcave nightclub where regulars such as Robert Smith, Marc Almond and Alice Coop. Electric benefits from the amazing history of the Fridge. At the Astoria I met a bloke who ended up being my significant other for a decade. The massive warehouse club in King's Cross was a close as you could get to a legal rave. The Cross, Kings Cross 1993-2007Speaking to Time Out after its closure, Billy Reilly, who ran a road haulage company in Kings Cross before opening warehouse venue the Cross, admitted that back in 1993 he, didnt know Judge Jules from Judge Dredd. Nice read Scary thought that Ive actually worked at all of them!!! Turning around and seeing floor fountains and Mail on Sunday readers sipping lattes and eating Danish pastries made my heart sink. best dominic madden, Sundays @ The End with The A corner crew slapping the walls to Malcom Duffy. Eighties London: where to party like it's 1980 | London Evening A brief history of London's most legendary nightclubs - Luxury London Trying to find your mates Madame JoJo's closure was a massive blow to Soho 's nightlife scene. Im amazed u didnt mention that John Newman was the father of both Danny and Paul Newman. Thanks to this article I have found a local website for local people. All this created the friendliest and most fun crowd on the clubbing scene. Amen. The likes of Oasis and Nirvana played there and it hosted regular LGBT club nights. Isnt that, now, the Apple shop? The duo ran the popular basement club in Holborn for years. Losing those places feels like losing a family member never to return. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. I completely agree would be a fitting tribute to see them all immortalised appropriately in some way. Those that were there will never forget and those that werent would wish they were if they knew. Even more so for you, of course! Some of the greatest nights of my life have been at FWD>> at Plastic People.. 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. Open till 5am and with no alcohol license, this, more than any other London club, marked the end of the sticky carpets and flock wallpaper design of clubs in the capital and triggered the beginning of nightspots being seen as somewhere to dance rather than a place to get hammered and attempt to grope members of the opposite sex. A producers first booking at the club was a serious rite of passage. It was where world-famous artists like Adele and The XX cut their teeth, and was a gem of the North London nightlife scene. 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. And some ex-boxer DJ? Believe it or not King's Cross was once the party hub of London. The brand name is constantly evolving and the club continues to survive despite numerous threats of closure. We then went our seperate ways. The End on a Friday and Turnmill on a Saturday were more my thing. Best crowd ever! Still, this wasnt the reason the venues got turfed; the bailiffs were eventually called in as a result of long overdue rent and bills. The sad fact of the matter is that there aren't the same options there used to be. it probably was ha ! It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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 1980s nightclub Stock Photos and Images - Alamy Stealth on a Thursday night, marvellous http://wharferj.wordpress.com/2011/09/29/stealth-the-blue-note/ The site on Curtain Road is now the uber-cheesy Sunset cocktail bar and offers VIP Packages underneath a branch of the burger chain Hache. Four Aces, Dalston1966-1998In what was, ostensibly, a simpler time for Dalston, the Four Aces was the areas flagship club. Bagleys was always my favourite. An earlier version said incorrectly that the Turnmills site was developed into flats. We had amazing nights, including joint parties with labrynth and raindance. morning, Available for everyone, funded by readers. Heaven (nightclub) - Wikipedia Anyone have a time machine so I can attend the all night Cox party or a Laurent Garnier night. I used to do the guest list at Freedom! Want the best food, film, music, arts and culture news in London sent straight to your inbox? 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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Top 5 Lost London Nightclubs of the 90s - The pace of progress eh? Rather than join the party, Hackney council revoked the clubs licence following an undercover operation into drug dealing at the venue. People queuing to get into The Cross mid 1990s, Madame Jojo's in London's Soho closed after losing its licence in 2014, The O2 Arena was once a massive nightclub, The Good Ship supported emerging artists and comedians and was a gem of the London gig scene. Sat 30 May 2020 17.00BST So goooood memories!!!! The venue hosted international DJs as well as some seminal club nights such as broken beat fix Co-op and dubstep-founding FWD>>. 9. 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. Reminded me of my mis-spent but highly pleasurable youth on the dance floors of a London. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. lol, The tranny on stilts He was a sound guy actually. 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. We went to the opening night of Fabric. 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. 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 was one of the premiere south London nightspots of the time, with Glenn Miller, Audrey Hepburn and Charlie Chaplin among the top names to grace its stage. Cheers Mike. It had to close due to Network Rail redevelopment in 2013. Top 5 Lost London Nightclubs of the 90s - 88to98 Vauxhall became the locus of gay clubs from 2000. 6. 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:). The MyLondon team tells London stories for Londoners. Zen's Dartford First Flicks in the 1980s and later Zen's, the nightclub on Essex Road was more recently known as Air & Breathe. Thanks Tom sad to read but glad youve documented. 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. It was like a small amphitheatre with the DJ the absolute centre of attraction, he says. Fantastic to look through it every so often and remember what wasa very much loved and much missed club . 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? We took a nostalgic look back at some of the capital's notorious nightclubs which have all closed since 2000. A most excellent post Tom.. Oasis performed their debut London show at The . 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. Something went wrong, please try again later. Peter Gatien produced the 1993 film A Bronx Tale after having produced it as a one-man play. 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. 8. (1989) "Megamix". 11 legendary London nightclubs that closed in the 2000s which are badly 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. Mass and Babalou, Brixton1996-2012Bearing in mind this pair of venues were hosted within Brixtons St Matthews Church, which leased the space to them, it was always pretty cheeky for Mass to host Torture Garden events in the crypt. By the mid-1990s the venue was no longer used as a cinema, instead functioning as a music venue, nightclub and snooker hall. In the 90s, it was all about wild weekly party Love Muscle, one of the capitals most renowned gay nights. (Photo by Carl Allen) 7 Sir George Robey/Powerhaus, Seven Sisters Road The Kingsland Road venue was once "the coolest bar around." Anyone who is anyone has DJd there over the years (as the endless MoS series of album releases testifies), including Paul Oakenfold, Pete Tong and Armand Van Helden. Hi Martyn! Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Magic was created on those dancefloors and longstanding relationships and friends. After all they shaped todays society in one way or another. 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. The clubbing map: What has happened to London nightlife? 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 used to go to Whoop it Up every Friday during 1998-2002; it was a fantastic place to go. Last modified on Tue 2 Jun 2020 05.49BST, Photograph: Ray Stevenson/REX/Shutterstock, Photograph: Dick Barnatt/Redferns & Paul Talling, Photograph: Paul Talling & Ilpo Musto/REX/Shutterstock, Photograph: Ray Stevenson/REX/Shutterstock & Paul Talling, Photograph: REX/Shutterstock & Paul Talling, Photograph: Paul Talling & Marc Sharrat/REX Shutterstock, Composite: David Corio/Redferns & Paul Talling, Photograph: Paul Talling & David Corio/Redferns, Photograph: Brendan Beirne/Rex Shutterstock & Paul Talling, Photograph: Alan Davidson/REX/Shutterstock, Photograph: Paul Talling & Ray Stevenson/REX/Shutterstock, Photograph: Suzie Gibbons/Redferns & Paul Talling, Photograph: Ray Stevenson/REX/Shutterstock & Paul Talling, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every Im surprised The Gardening Club wasnt there. Breaks my heart to see whats happened. 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. The best til last- no one did it like The End. What I would say is be glad we are the ages we are. 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