The worst nightclub you've ever been to?

[Xuli]

Ziggys, York c.1999. An old Regency townhouse that you would swear was still lived in. Sofas, scatter cushions, and chintz wallpaper on the walls - chintz wallpaper that actually started sweating by 10pm. The main dance floor was down in the basement with only one narrow staircase for access and which must have breached every single health and safety law known to man.

We only kept going because it was two WKD's for £1.50 on student night.

mossyroundhill In the early 80s there was a club in Long Eaton called Isabellas. Our week usually went...Mon Zhivagos Nottm, Weds/Thurs Isabella’s Long Eaton, Friday Hardy’s wine bar Nottm and Saturday night Rock City, never missed it, best ever memories there!!
Sunday night was usually The Castle pub. No real dives tbh although sometimes after Rock City we’d go down to a gay club called Whispers, it was so dark and dingy...opened my 17 year old eyes a bit I can tell you
Fortunately I only really have good memories of those times

Sahara's in Lewisham so awful, no idea why we ended up in there (about 97)
Candy floss Club Torquay, music ok just some very odd people.
Tots in Southend was also awful, no idea if it's till going.

Awww I 've been waiting for someone to say Halleys and you did Buteo
It didn't last very long though

Not read the thread, but the place that also popped into my head when I saw the title was Ziggy's, c.1999!

Ikon and Diva was always very soulless but at least a bit more modern and less sticky than the others on this thread! Thanks for the York Press link OP, I recognised a few faces on there...

What was the place called on Coney Street that was a Chinese restaurant but then turned into a cheesy disco later on? The Willow?

I concur with Blue Orchid in Croydon, that was pretty awful. No one has mentioned Revolution in Clapham but actually that was quite good.

Can't believe Manchester clubs haven't had more of a mention. Used to love 42's, 5th Ave And the sadly departed Jillys Rock World. Never got hassled in those places ever but upon leaving these places the scallies from Piccadilly 21 or Royales would abuse you for being goth.

Loved Piccadilly 21 and Royales!!
Total Scally me

The Speakeasy on Linthorpe Road in Middlesbrough, aka The Claggy Mat. That carpet pulled my shoes off.

I'm a little late to this thread but massively dismayed to see no one mentioning the club in the carpark of Longleat - Oscars 2000

Because it was so out of the way, every group had to have a designated driver, which meant that the car park turned into a parade of boy racers, with shitty Ford Escorts with too-big wheels blasting 90s dance music out of their too-big speakers

I was a scally too. Just used to go to the goth/rock places for a change or if it was a cheap midweek night. Just mean I noticed the difference in atmosphere. I was and still am into R&B, soul etc. At one point none of the club's were allowed to play it as it attracted "attitude"
On a good night we'd start off in Idols (50p drifters) then onto Lazy Pig where they'd get a girl on the bar to do the "Gang Bang" a la Rita Sue and Bob too. Then maybe Isobar. After that it was a toss up between Saturdays or 21s. If you fancied a change you could try Kicks (Wave now). If for some reason you couldn't get in any of these then off to the goth places where you would get in. Plus some of my mates were stoners and regardless of where we spent the clubbing hours we'd meet up and go home together on one of the 40's into Fallowfield. I loved the nightlife and even the odd idiot spoiling it by fighting didn't have much effect. In fact one of my favourite moments is when 2 scally lads went up to my mate (He always dressed like a 50s greaser) and knocked his drink out of his hand. He was dancing alone and was happy (ahem). These lads didn't know he was with the 11 or so people sat at the edge of the dance floor. We all stood up and charged over. I've never seen someone shit themselves and never want to again. He still talks about it to this day 20 years on as the day he knew he had friends.

Dennies in Hastings in the late 90s - £4 in on a Thursday night and 10p pints. We were about 20 years younger than most of the other women in there, but the men were all around our age (early 20s). Known as 'grab a granny night'.

Also Club Horizon Discotheque in Rye - notable for fights, sticky carpets and the same songs played in the same order every night.

For those wondering what happened to the Tuxedo, it met a sad end recently
www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/teesside-news/goodbye-tuxedo-royale-rusting-party-14139903

Does anyone remember Sands in Stretford Manchester?

@CheddarIsNotTheOnlyCheese I had friends from Manchester when I was at uni - we had many an excellent skeezy night out in 5th Ave!

Stella my mate came over and said the bloke she was stood next looked like what's his name? The northern Irish fella out of Cold Feet. So I drunkenly went over to tell him. He was thoroughly unimpressed and just rolled his eyes. A few years later I read an interview where he says he likes to visit 5th Ave when in Manchester as no one ever bothers him apart from the odd drunken loon who tells him he looks like who he really is. Hah can't remember his name and when I click back on here the post goes. Jimmy or James something or other

@TinselAngel @BaileysOnToast I used to go to Sloans on Wood Street before it changed its name to The Krazy House. (Same club different name) Loved it though, was there at least twice a week

prampushingdownthehighst

Halleys was fun (but a bit crap really) whilst it lasted. Don’t remember many other options being around at the time either.

Fat Sam's and the coconut grove in Dundee

The Palais was a terrifying place.

The JM/Baracudda and Tiffany’s were like Sunday school in comparison.

There are a couple that stand out for me from my hometown of Warrington.

Mr Smiths - sticky carpets, overpriced beer (unless it was student Tuesdays or Thursdays). The best part of the night was getting a burger from the Hogie Wagon. Shame it's not there anymore, it got burnt down a couple of years ago.

The World. My aunt took me once when I was about 15 - the doorman asked me if I had any drugs, I said no, he then asked if I wanted any to go and see the bloke on the bar Needless to say I never got the courage to go back when I was old enough.

Mississippi Showboat / Legends. I went in once when it was £15 to get in but you didn't pay for drinks the whole night. Definitely a grab a granny place. Too many pairs of white "shagging" shoes and the music was terrible.

Honourable mention - Wigan Pier - I went a few times because I was really into happy hardcore music (aged 18 ish). Sweaty walls, sweaty ceilings and too many gurning teenagers off their faces on pills and coke.

2nd Honourable mention - a pub in Colchester and I can't remember the name. I was sat in the beer garden having a night out pint and I had to duck under a table because someone launched a parasol just over my head and then a man followed shortly after. Apparently with Colchester being a very squaddie town, it was a normal occurrence to dodge and duck out of the way of people throwing chairs/umbrellas/people about.

Before I opened this thread Ziggys was the first one that came to mind.
Can't believe how many of you have actually also witnessed just how terrible it really was.
It's still there but it's turned into more of a rockers club now think it's called Mansion. They do events there sometimes which would take me back to my youth but I doubt I would step foot in there again!

@cranberry18 - Addisons was my least favourite club, despite it probably having much posher decor than any of the other Blackpool clubs. Those seats upstairs that looked a bit like shells- I was once up there talking to my boyfriend and the woman next to us hitched up her skirt, pulled her knickers to one side and straddled the lap, complete with erect penis, of the guy she was with. Just ugh.

The Galleon was probably the worst in terms of decor, but was the best club in Blackpool imo. It was a sad day when they pulled it down. Glass eyed Shultz, drumming in the corner... ah, the memories!

Goodness no Buteo nothing in Bideford really. I think Westward Ho! had the Tyrol nightclub/skating rink and then later on there were the really awful Mr G's and Cleopatras.
I left as soon as I could!

Planet Earth (Leeds) was a grim old meat market. I knew two people who got sacked from there, after it rebranded to Bondi Beach Bar, for refusing to collect glasses wearing only bikinis

Majestyks was another Leeds meat market, rough as fuck but fun

Heaven and Hell was a really awful hole

In Manchester, The Ritz was quite disgusting with stoner corridor and a bouncing dance floor that made everyone throw up. Also Royale’s which was so very cheesy. I met Adam Rickett there and my sister turned down Terry Christian.

And Isobar in Afflecks basement with the vodka jelly, bar staff with vodka water pistols and test tube cocktails of much grimness

And what was that weird bar in a boat on a traffic island in Leeds? Near the Faversham

No one here has mentioned Bournemouth....
Went clubbing there late 90s onwards..

For serious raving & music you had Slinky at the Opera House (previously the Academy & now the O2), UK garage & trance at the Milennium Club, Jazz Juice, Cheeky Little Monkey & other nights at the Showbar (now Aruba), the Manor out in the countryside, I remember a short lived club at Ringwood that was all trance & pills, Madisons above Miss Selfridge & other long shut places.

Crap but fun were Berlins (with the Wonderwall), Jumpin Jacks, Chablis.

Then there was Cage & Zoo, which became Elements, it's still open but don't know the name.. sticky carpets, typical pretentious Bournemouth VIP area, but generally good music (house, r'n'b etc).
A man got shot there sadly on a Trevor Nelson night.

Bars we loved included Pumphreys (£2 cocktails), upstairs at the Criterion, Bar Med, Bliss, Bar So & the Brasshouse (still there), Klute (yes we had one), Casa (now a slug n lettuce), Slam etc

But I remember my friends & I disliked the pretentious label wearing champagne & cocaine types that always frequented the newest places.

Sooo glad I went clubbing in the era before camera phones & smart phones as none of our nights were recorded.

@Carrotvan
The Dry Dock- it’s still there.