We WERE there, we DID live it, and now were sentimental old bastards. http://www.amazon.co.uk/CROSS-1993-2003-Jonathan-CUTTING/dp/B0010786KI. A real eye opener, that night. It became louder and louder. We took a nostalgic look back at some of the capital's notorious nightclubs which have all closed since 2000. Its industrial settings and position in the centre of London made it a unique offering. "Harlem Desire '89". 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. Thats brought back some memories. After all, it did have a capacity pushing 4,000 people and a 24-hour drinking licence. Hes right. RIP Turnmills, Im glad I was there to experience it. Oh, the most impressive handlebar tash I have ever seen on a Man. Pete.. Hi Martyn! Vauxhall became the locus of gay clubs from 2000. 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. Pretty sure the very last ones got dished out at the end of that rather special final bash, Xmas 07. It had to close due to Network Rail redevelopment in 2013. I remember me and my brother went up to Soundshaft one night (I was about 22), with, erm, a couple of associates.. Nice article that has brought back some wonderful memories. Regulars over the years have included Michael Caine, Keith Moon and Jack Nicholson. Didnt boy george have a residency there? Losing those places feels like losing a family member never to return. Kids going out today wont realise its a tragedy, but it is. I lost my marbles in all of these places in the 90s. 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. 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. Gaz ran a weekly night there from. Love it, smiling from ear to ear thinking about some of them. I will be following developments closely. 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. 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. 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. Turnmills chutney still so much messy fun. Top 5 Lost London Nightclubs of the 90s - The pace of progress eh? it probably was ha ! London Night Guide is your nightlife concierge for the most best clubs in London. I played at the cross several times .. 4 me one of best uk clubs where i played great memories , I have the Cross book. It makes me feel quite sad how our communities are being transformed into bland faceless environments in some cases. This labryinth of a club was under the arches of London Bridge station and got packed out with sweaty 20-somethings without fail every weekend. Back then, the huge 2,000 capacity venue was a Saturday night lockout and one . Heaven is a Gay superclub in Charing Cross, London, England.It has played a central role and had a major influence in the development of London's LGBT scene for the last 40 years and is home to long-running gay night G-A-Y.The club is known for Paul Oakenfold's acid house events in the 1980s, the underground nightclub festival Megatripolis, and for being the birthplace of ambient house. Dirty, worn, in your face, street cred with banging, hard but funky beats. 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. Turning around and seeing floor fountains and Mail on Sunday readers sipping lattes and eating Danish pastries made my heart sink. Electric Daisy Carnival in Vegas this year was truly magical and a top clubbing moment, but some periods of your life can never truly be repeated. It was where world-famous artists like Adele and The XX cut their teeth, and was a gem of the North London nightlife scene. He was a sound guy actually. Sir Bob Geldof had his stag do at Limelight before he married Paula Yates in 1986. Thanks Tom sad to read but glad youve documented. Heads of whistling into the sunset. The End on a Friday and Turnmill on a Saturday were more my thing. 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. The single was written and produced by Ralf Ren Mau, and its cover artwork features . 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. I also have a book given out on The Ends 10th birthday which is a coffee table book but still good. The small room was great. but it went wrong after the terrible stabbing on a bank holiday sunday night. 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. Demonstrators protest against the closure of Madame JoJos, in 2014. mixed the burlesque glamour of Soho with Londons contemporary music scene, Speaking to the Guardian after its closure, Marcus Harris, Hackney council revoked the clubs licence, the capitals biggest modern developments, stand in the way of the Crossrail development, taking the scalp of the Metro with the same swoop of the sword that ended the Astoria. When Limelight fell out of favour as a celebrated nightspot it was sold and in 2003 became a Walkabout bar. During the 1990s, photographer Steve Eichner documented the rowdy, over-the-top debauchery that was New York City's club scene and nightlife. Bagleys was always my favourite. It hosted huge weekend parties that were at hit with House music fans. Don't skip a beat and sign up to The 12 newsletter here. 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. Great memories for me toobut pickling clubs in aspic is a sign of ld age, new generations inven their own vibes in new venues.Some of those big clubs that are eulogised here were seen at the time by older clubbersd as too corporate and bland. Enjoyed the trip into nostalgia very much.. Wow. Sorry the plaque should be pale blue with a Dove on it. 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. I worked at AKA for many years. It wasnt always such a corporate machine, however. What I would say is be glad we are the ages we are. Something went wrong, please try again later. 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. Sat 30 May 2020 17.00BST This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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). Ruby Violet: NW5s pioneering ice cream parlour to close, Let It Roll Records closes. Punters at The Bubble Club, The Que Club, 1996. George Michael often arrived at the nightclub accompanied by a woman before he came out as gay. Limelight in New York, which closed in 2001, was in the media in 1996 when Michael Alig was arrested and later convicted for the killing and dismemberment of Angel Melendez, who frequented the New York Limelight - the 2003 biopic Party Monster, starring Macaulay Culkin and Seth Green, was based on this event. Fabric is the Only venue to stick to its principles avoiding putting in any old rubbish that draws a crowd. In the 1990s, the scene reverted back to Soho, revitalised by new style bars like The Village. If anyone sees them please can you let me know? You can withdraw your consent or find out more by clicking on our Privacy Policy link below. It hosted huge weekend parties that were at hit with House music fans. Or did that go the way of the marbles?! Sir Bob Geldof had his stag do at Limelight, In 2010 a group which was known for squatting in large homes and embassies moved into the the building, restore and redevelop the former chapel into flexible performance space, won planning approval from Westminster council to upscale the venue into a major performance venue, BBC Radio 2 Ken Bruce fans think they've spotted hidden meaning in the song choices at the start of his last ever show, The Radio 2 presenting legend has said he is being forced out early, Seaside town not far from London named one of UK's most beautiful places but it could be underwater in 40 years, Those stunning views could disappear within a few decades, South London pub in one of the city's coolest neighbourhoods taken over by chain leaving regulars 'heartbroken', EXCLUSIVE: Staff at the 20-year-old pub have no idea if they can stay on, Woman names the most 'miserable' places to live in the UK and there's outrage at the 'pretty' London borough she put in the top 5, Among the top 10 were a leafy London borough and Harry Style's hometown - while it is the first list of 'worst towns' not to include Slough in ages, BBC Radio 2 bombarded with complaints after 11-word thank you message to Ken Bruce, Listeners thought the veteran presenter deserved a better send-off, The 'secret' South London market that's one of the city's best where Black traders thrive and everyone is welcome, A weekend market showcasing Black businesses has been growing strong since 2018, London's 'best' play up for top award with tickets for just 25 and but you only have a few weeks to see it, Based on the story of a social media sensation, this play has already picked up awards, Asda shoppers go crazy for 28 compact air fryer that's 'unbeatable value' and can take on Ninja and Tower, The George at Asda has 1,300 five star reviews on the supermarket's site, Fall Out Boy playing intimate London gig at Europe's biggest LGBT+ club, The American rock band chose the venue in homage to the grassroots punk rock and alternative scenes born in London, The underrated London neighbourhood where 'all the cool young hipsters are moving' and TV property guru reckons house prices will rocket, New Cross has new coffee shops popping up all over the place, The underrated seaside town named one of the coolest places to live where all the Londoners who have moved there are known as DFLs, According to one local Ramsgate is a 'lovely' place perfect for families, The beautiful seaside town near London so isolated it feels like you're in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, Dungeness is only two hours away from the city and makes for the perfect weekend getaway, London Underground commuters in stitches at suggestions for 'Code 9' meaning - here's what it's actually for, Londoners took guesses at what the code means, and some of their responses were hilarious, The 6 skyscrapers that could have been built in London that would've been way taller than The Shard, London's horizon may have looked very different if these developments went ahead, Beautiful hidden village most tourists have never heard of with one of UK's best hotels, This small but beautiful village holds its own with one of the best hotels in Europe, Heathrow and Gatwick: The 34 European countries UK travellers will need a 6 visa waiver for, Baby found dead 'in plastic bag under nappies' as parents appear in court, Police said officers had been unable to identify the gender of the baby, The neighbourhood which is 'immune from gentrification' as businesses drop their prices, Local residents insist that Catford 'can't be gentrified', ULEZ expansion could be halted if Rishi Sunak grants councils new power, The Prime Minister is being urged to back a new bill giving councils a greater say on Sadiq Khan's plans, Croydon's new tallest skyscraper 50-storeys high is getting a giant play wall 34 flights up, The development of more than 900 new flats is due to be completed by the end of 2023, Kate and William could move home again after Harry and Meghan evicted, A royal expert says a property shakeup could affect the royal couple after King asked the Sussexes to give up Frogmore Cottage and Prince Andrew to downsize, London Bridge 'chaos', 'disastrous' timetable change and MP 'death' warning - Calls for TfL to take over Southeastern trains, London Overground and the Elizabeth line prove that TfL can operate train services that cater to Londoners everyday needs," says London Assembly Labour Elly Baker, Dad hides his face under jumper as he's brought into court after death of baby, The two-month-old baby was found under a pile of nappies in a plastic bag, Stephen Bear jailed for vile revenge porn video of Love Island star ex, He will now face 21 months in prison after posting the video on his OnlyFans and sharing it on Whatsapp, Fears new Sainsbury's will 'kill' East London high street shops as 4 close due to sky high rents, The supermarket giant wants to open a Sainsbury's Local on 70 Wapping Lane and plans to sell booze from 7am to 11pm every day, Chris Kaba's family waiting for answers 6 months after he was shot dead by police, His family have called for an urgent decision on criminal charges after the 24-year-old was shot dead by a firearms officer, ULEZ expansion could be halted if Rishi Sunak grants councils new power against 'unfair tax', The Fun Lovin' Criminal by The Fun Lovin' Criminals: "I am always optimistic about human relations, I got more friends than my man Peter Gatien", Foundation" by Jay-Z: "Me and my operation, running New York nightscene, with one eye closed, like Peter Gatien", Dynasty by hip-hop group The Diplomats: "Meet Jimmy Iovine, give me my cream Shapiro, Peter Gatien, relation Spot a club in L.A just to touch it up". So blessed to have lived through that experience and a special mention to my ex Alan and DJ Chris McKoy. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Whats in the new July issue of Kentishtowner? People from across the capital will flock to Herbal, an exposed brick warehouse which regularly hosted big name DJs. The End just had to be #1 But the party was brought to an abrupt end after a stabbing there led it to lose its licence and subsequent closure. It was around 2000 and I remember those times as probably the best of my life. Or many others, would not stop writing and remembering about them. I stood at one and there was one in between us, unmanned. A producers first booking at the club was a serious rite of passage. 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. The plan was to go up there, see someone and come back. But the magic was gone weve since seen the end for the Den, too. These cookies do not store any personal information. 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. 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:). It was made for DJs by DJs and those who fumbled fumbled spinning the decks were quickly called out by the crowd. It always felt like it was on borrowed time after that. RM 2HTCTTN - Ace Cinema, Alexandra Avenue, Rayners Lane, Harrow, London, 1983. It was around the corner from Angel station. Surely he must be out by now. 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 . But I will never forget the fabulous nights and camaraderie that I shared with friends and total strangers whilst waving my hands in the air like I just didnt care x, I met my husband at The Cross in 2004, now happily married with kids. The brand name is constantly evolving and the club continues to survive despite numerous threats of closure. London nightclubs facing 'perfect storm' of threats . Trying to find your mates All this created the friendliest and most fun crowd on the clubbing scene. London Boys singles chronology. First there was Matter and then there was Proud2. Fantastic to look through it every so often and remember what wasa very much loved and much missed club . Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Then Dane Bowers went and ruined it all. Would love to have a peek! Great article, and Ill second and third and fourth what has been said here. 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. #5 Where could you find warehouse raving complete with funfair rides right in the heart of the capital? Memories from each venue for sure. Redferns/Getty Images . . It was the venues teen parties that got it into hot water, however, when police found evidence of underage drinking there in 2009. It set the tone for mixed gay clubbing and for techno music especially to become more mainstream. Getting lost 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. 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. Hey Janine, I remember you well! 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. 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. 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 !! I will never forget it. Oasis performed their debut London show at The . Its a members only club but the present owners are open to granting membership to those who arent necessarily currently gracing the cover of Hello! Central to the Black jazz scene at the time, and closely linked with African. The music, the mixing, the vibe. 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. A dominant hair design was de rigueur. A club with really innovative nights and for the hardcore Metalheadz on a Sunday night. When record producer and DJ Paul Oakenfold went to Ibiza in 1985 to celebrate his birthday, he hired a villa and invited then-unknown DJs Nicky Holloway, Pete Tong and Danny Rampling. Limelight in Atlanta was also a place to see and spot celebrities over the years. 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. 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! All rights reserved. 9 nightclubs and bars in Croydon we miss that have closed since 2000, 16 small music venues we miss that have closed in London over the last 30 years, The social distancing app that lets you check how busy places are before you go, BBC Radio 2 Ken Bruce fans think they've spotted hidden meaning in the song choices at the start of his last ever show, The Radio 2 presenting legend has said he is being forced out early, Seaside town not far from London named one of UK's most beautiful places but it could be underwater in 40 years, Those stunning views could disappear within a few decades, South London pub in one of the city's coolest neighbourhoods taken over by chain leaving regulars 'heartbroken', EXCLUSIVE: Staff at the 20-year-old pub have no idea if they can stay on, Woman names the most 'miserable' places to live in the UK and there's outrage at the 'pretty' London borough she put in the top 5, Among the top 10 were a leafy London borough and Harry Style's hometown - while it is the first list of 'worst towns' not to include Slough in ages, BBC Radio 2 bombarded with complaints after 11-word thank you message to Ken Bruce, Listeners thought the veteran presenter deserved a better send-off, The 'secret' South London market that's one of the city's best where Black traders thrive and everyone is welcome, A weekend market showcasing Black businesses has been growing strong since 2018, London's 'best' play up for top award with tickets for just 25 and but you only have a few weeks to see it, Based on the story of a social media sensation, this play has already picked up awards, Asda shoppers go crazy for 28 compact air fryer that's 'unbeatable value' and can take on Ninja and Tower, The George at Asda has 1,300 five star reviews on the supermarket's site, Fall Out Boy playing intimate London gig at Europe's biggest LGBT+ club, The American rock band chose the venue in homage to the grassroots punk rock and alternative scenes born in London, The underrated London neighbourhood where 'all the cool young hipsters are moving' and TV property guru reckons house prices will rocket, New Cross has new coffee shops popping up all over the place, The underrated seaside town named one of the coolest places to live where all the Londoners who have moved there are known as DFLs, According to one local Ramsgate is a 'lovely' place perfect for families, The beautiful seaside town near London so isolated it feels like you're in the middle of a zombie apocalypse, Dungeness is only two hours away from the city and makes for the perfect weekend getaway, London Underground commuters in stitches at suggestions for 'Code 9' meaning - here's what it's actually for, Londoners took guesses at what the code means, and some of their responses were hilarious, The 6 skyscrapers that could have been built in London that would've been way taller than The Shard, London's horizon may have looked very different if these developments went ahead, Beautiful hidden village most tourists have never heard of with one of UK's best hotels, This small but beautiful village holds its own with one of the best hotels in Europe, Heathrow and Gatwick: The 34 European countries UK travellers will need a 6 visa waiver for, Baby found dead 'in plastic bag under nappies' as parents appear in court, Police said officers had been unable to identify the gender of the baby, The neighbourhood which is 'immune from gentrification' as businesses drop their prices, Local residents insist that Catford 'can't be gentrified', ULEZ expansion could be halted if Rishi Sunak grants councils new power, The Prime Minister is being urged to back a new bill giving councils a greater say on Sadiq Khan's plans, Croydon's new tallest skyscraper 50-storeys high is getting a giant play wall 34 flights up, The development of more than 900 new flats is due to be completed by the end of 2023, Kate and William could move home again after Harry and Meghan evicted, A royal expert says a property shakeup could affect the royal couple after King asked the Sussexes to give up Frogmore Cottage and Prince Andrew to downsize, London Bridge 'chaos', 'disastrous' timetable change and MP 'death' warning - Calls for TfL to take over Southeastern trains, London Overground and the Elizabeth line prove that TfL can operate train services that cater to Londoners everyday needs," says London Assembly Labour Elly Baker, Dad hides his face under jumper as he's brought into court after death of baby, The two-month-old baby was found under a pile of nappies in a plastic bag, Stephen Bear jailed for vile revenge porn video of Love Island star ex, He will now face 21 months in prison after posting the video on his OnlyFans and sharing it on Whatsapp, Fears new Sainsbury's will 'kill' East London high street shops as 4 close due to sky high rents, The supermarket giant wants to open a Sainsbury's Local on 70 Wapping Lane and plans to sell booze from 7am to 11pm every day, Chris Kaba's family waiting for answers 6 months after he was shot dead by police, His family have called for an urgent decision on criminal charges after the 24-year-old was shot dead by a firearms officer, ULEZ expansion could be halted if Rishi Sunak grants councils new power against 'unfair tax'.