How does Sheffield nightlife compare to other adjacant northern cities?

[Rushup 10]

Sheffield is a notoriously fickle place as you well know being a promoter. No night is guaranteed support, the clubbing public can be savage when they want and totally abandon nights and venues seemingly on a whim.

 

Tell me about it. We've had people ask us to book particular acts, then when we do book them they don't turn up... Makes me wonder what more we can do. Fortunately we've usually done ok and always had a good atmosphere, and we've had a few nights where we've had quite big crowds.

 

I pretty much guarantee tonight at HUBS, Soyo, Dulo and possibly Corp you'll not find many punters under the age of say 25.

 

You're spot on with that. There were a few younger people at Corp but generally it was an older crowd. Nothing wrong with that though, but I guess it's symptomatic of the shifting tastes in music.

 

Ultimately though the lack of venues and the lack of support and from the council for the nighttime economy is slowly but surely killing clubbing.

 

Lack of venues doesn't help, but I don't see how the council are to blame for this, as Adele points out there just doesn't seem to be the support from customers. A decent venue with a couple of small rooms would be good for the underground dance promoters, giving them the opportunity to come together and offer more diversity from their events.

 

It's tough times for everyone at the moment, a lot of people are worried about money. I've noticed a drop in the number of people at techno-related events since the turn of the new year. If another 5 clubs opened this year, who is going to fill them?

Edited May 27, 2009 by Rushup

[discodown 11]

Why is the council to blame? Anybody can purchase a lease on a building and get the relevant licences if they wish to do so. The council you will find, should you go down that route, do not go out of their way to stop people opening clubs or bars, they just ensure that the necessary licenses, health & safety checks are in place. You surely wouldnt want them to ignore these?!?

 

Clubs and bars are disappearing due to customer trade. If a place isnt busy 3-4 nights a week its game over. Rent, rates, etc are exceedingly expensive, and you havent even opened your venue and paid staff.

 

Most venues would love to play underground music however people do not support it. You wouldnt sell chai tea in a coffee house if it didnt sell, and thats exactly what happens in venues. We have to play music that the majority of our crowds want us to play. For people like Matt & myself, when we hear venues & the council are to blame, the answer is closer to home. Our decisions are based on customers.

 

adele

x

You are of course correct and I am guilty of being fickle and not supporting venues and nights but then again i'm a 30 something parent and not really a big clubber anymore however i'll make the effort when I really want to.

 

By blaming the council I just mean that from my perspective the council doesn't appear to support the nighttime economy, they've made it hard to promote events and just could do more. Of course you're on the inside and you actually deal with them so you know better than me.

 

Actually now I think about it the smoking ban doesn't help much either. Surely theres a way round? A loophole or something?

Edited May 27, 2009 by discodown

[imagematters 10]

There are peole on this site that are in positions of power and do sit on committees with the council and the police and have done for quite a while Why have they not be pushing the individual decision makers to be more accomadating. Sure if you own a concrete bunker with a big door in and a big door out then you dont have a problem, but when you take ona building of historic value and character your problems increase ten fold, but I would not have it any other way,watch this space for future developments.

[Rushup 10]

Of course their are more problems associated with a building like Shhh.

 

However, everything about the work done to the club screams 'bodge job'. Anyone who actually had half a clue what they were doing wouldn't be ripping walls down that they weren't supposed to. It wouldn't have taken someone with a modicum of competence over 2 years to sort out the absolutely disgraceful toilets (leaking urine everywhere, including over the main entrance where paying customers enter the building), seriously, how difficult can this be??? If you bothered to sort licenses out and adhere to them properly, you wouldn't have police turning up and landing you in court. If promoters were treated right, you wouldn't have them complaining about being ripped off, physically threatened by management (because you fancy a go on the decks) and having their DJ's intimidated by your cowboy bouncers, none of whom were SIA registered.

 

Your reputation is in the gutter, because of the decisions you see fit to make. The running of that place can only be described as sheer incompetence.

 

A decent management team with a vision and real desire to do things the right way would've had this club fully running 2 years ago, legally, with little hassle from the authorities. It is ludicrous to blame the council, Plug, promoters or the people of Sheffield for the great many problems you've created yourselves.

Edited May 28, 2009 by Rushup

[imagematters 10]

I do object to your narrow vision agent **** but then that is part of Sheffields problems The leaking bogs scenario was actually a leaking header tank no urine, We have dismantled and closed that venue for the time being we were persuaded!!!!! by council officers to do things a certain way otherwise we would be closed down, we took the advice given and we were closed down anyway by the same arm of the council, we had the planning application meeting booked for 29th June 2007 we made that appointment in May 2007 we were flooded three days byefore the meeting recieved no help from flood benifit Gigs ????????? have not yet recieved any insurance although three are pending and have trying to host quality events on a shoestring budget as well as applying for planning permission, English heritage, Enviromental health, Sound Issues, police fire, Enviroment agency, Planning dept, building standards, Promotors, clubbers, staff, DJs and ourselves are all involved with the planning application plus the 3,000 people who signed the petition for a venue to be included in the community center proposals, So I dont think its fair for your comments to be so damming about a bundle of people who are trying to do somthing different , This **** poor managment team has resolved over 63 building reg problems and has carried out over 37 different improvements

to the fabric of the building. All with consent from the relevant agencies, and rebuilt the loos three times, please remember we are not allowed to change the structure of the building because of its grade 2 star listed status and we have managed to stay open just all the way through this, if you look across the road at the old arches they have been closed for 4 years, If we had not believed in what we were doing we would have left with all the others a long time ago. Go and get involved with trying to improve things

or are you part of the system that leaves our fair city a lame duck club scene . I will sign off and get on with overcoming the little difficulties that our unelected council officers are trying to throw at us, and let you get on with your day Mr ****.

[imagematters 10]

OOh and by the way If i had worked with proffesional promotors I would not have had £3,000 worth of electrical and other goods go missing on a night when the venue charged 50% of its hire fee to help this new promotor (cowboy) string 3 different rigs together that sounded awful, and all the clubs spare wires fuses , leads etc walk out the door at the end of the night, If we were running full time this would not matter but once a month and no promotor has ever been threatened by Tracey Badged or Barry badged for collecting venue fees. It just so happened said promotor had been filling his beak with a horse tranqualiser all night and could not comprehend what was being requested of him, so please get your facts right, and can I have my electrical goods back. lol

[timcobbold 10]

handbags at dawn!

[Rushup 10]

I do wonder if you actually believe half the stuff you come out with on these forums... I've been involved in events at Shhh before, I've dealt with you all first hand and have friends who have also put events on with you.

 

One busy event I was involved in I had to stand outside trying to direct people into the correct queue. Why did I have to do this? Because a member of management (not doorstaff, but management) was diverting people from the queues into a rival event in the caves, with the promise they could get into our event quicker. They couldn't. They were being conned into paying for a different event, and couldn't get their money back. This person then had the bare faced cheek to tell me to stop what I was doing.

 

At the same event, your own door staff and the same member of management were lining their pockets by taking people out of the queues and letting them in another entrance, charging them in the process, and conning those who had paid to hire your venue out of even more money. Absolutely disgusting practice.

 

I have absolutely no idea who stole your equipment, and I don't condone thieves but you've stung enough promoters that I really can't say I'm surprised.

 

I'll end by saying that the overwhelming majority of promoters who have had the dubious honour of working with you, are unlikely to want do so again. There are many reasons for this, but mainly they revolve around money and issues with the management. Pin the blame on others if you wish, but the real reason your club is in the doldrums is much closer to home.

Edited May 28, 2009 by Rushup

[imagematters 10]

Ah Agent **** Beep Bang Tweep are you the same chap whose testicles were squeezed

by our lass outside the vine for not telling us you had cancelled a New Years Eve event or was that me just mismanaging myself again. Try and get a brand new venue licensed in Sheffield, whilst relying on big time promotors like yourself to bring in the peeps.

Anyway back to reality The Enviroment Agency who had put a 2 year planning embargo on our planning application at Shhhh have just withdrawn thier objections, one less hurdle to overcome, its dead handy when you have a ready made flood escape leading onto and off your roof, also makes a pretty handy roof garden with a view for our smokers, a bit better than a car park or other such places most venues tend to shove thier smokers, only 99 objections to go

[Rushup 10]

Ah Agent **** Beep Bang Tweep are you the same chap whose testicles were squeezed by our lass outside the vine for not telling us you had cancelled a New Years Eve event or was that me just mismanaging myself again.

 

Nope. Nor do I have any idea who you might be referring to.

 

 

Try and get a brand new venue licensed in Sheffield, whilst relying on big time promotors like yourself to bring in the peeps.

 

Ah yes, never ever take responsibility, it's the promoters' fault. Sorry, I forgot that part.

 

 

Anyway back to reality The Enviroment Agency who had put a 2 year planning embargo on our planning application at Shhhh have just withdrawn thier objections, one less hurdle to overcome, its dead handy when you have a ready made flood escape leading onto and off your roof, also makes a pretty handy roof garden with a view for our smokers, a bit better than a car park or other such places most venues tend to shove thier smokers, only 99 objections to go

 

A roof garden?!?! Jesus... for a club with with a track record of blatant disregard for basic hygiene, health & safety and adhering to terms of license, surely a roof terrace is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

I seem to recall someone falling down a pit in your club once. Doesn't bode well does it?

[imagematters 10]

Ah Beep berk t---good to see you are still alive and yes it might take a while to get there but we are glad to report no more accidents, new bogs and no license infringements . We even had all chages quoshed in crown court yesterday and that was to do with some promotor advertising we were open NYE 2007 early and getting raided by south yorkshires finest. needless to say said DJs and a couple of promotors left us to defend ourselves which we did admirley, last point when we do get our full license, we are an after hours club , we do not try and be anything else, we will not be opening at 10 we open at 12 at the earliest thanks for your support Agent Beep Beep t--- you make living in sheffield such fun loads of Luv

[Rushup 10]

...yes it might take a while to get there but we are glad to report no more accidents

 

It's no surprise when the club is hardly open anymore.

 

...new bogs...

 

Lost count how many times I've heard that one...

 

...and no license infringements...

 

Until next time.

 

...and that was to do with some promotor advertising we were open NYE 2007 early and getting raided by south yorkshires finest.

 

Incredible. Are you seriously suggesting the police raid on NYE 2007 was down to the promoters?!?! Well, whoever you wish to blame, surprise surprise, you didn't have your license in check and weren't allowed to sell drinks, but went ahead regardless.

 

needless to say said DJs and a couple of promotors left us to defend ourselves...

 

Since when has it been down to promoters to sort out your mess? The promoters pay you. And why on earth should DJ's have to defend you, when the only connection they have with the night is that they've been paid to play it?!?! It's your responsibility to sort your issues with the authorities.

 

Promoters pay to hire your club, and as the owner you should adhere to licensing laws, support the promoter and make sure things run smoothly so everyone can have a good time. But no, you can't even manage to get the basics right.

 

 

Still, blame the promoters! By your reckoning, they must have stolen half the bricks in the club by now.

 

Blame Plug! They've been poaching your staff, and probably your customers. That's what you said isn't it?

 

Blame the council! I mean, what's the point in having a safe club anyway? Who needs fire exits? And holes to fall into are so much fun!

 

 

The whole world really is against you...

Edited June 14, 2009 by Rushup