Liquid nightclub to close
Wednesday 31st March 2010, 3:00PM BST.
Liquid nightclub will close next week
LIQUID nightclub and Chicago Rock Café are to close – the company behind the Waterfront bars and clubs is pulling out of Jersey.
Liberation Group chief executive Mark Crowther has confirmed that Luminar will close down its Jersey operations next Tuesday.
It is not clear how many full-time and part-time jobs will be lost when Liquid and Chicago Rock Café close. Liberation Group plan to take over The Bar and retain as many staff as possible.
Luminar has not responded to requests for a comment.
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about time too, the souless places they are. Generic music, “bunker with lights” interior and trained monkeys for door staff. Its a wonder that they have survived so long.
Hopefully now these two have gone someone with vision can reinvent these places and give jersey residents and tourists somewhere that has some sort of memorable individuality.
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Meantime back in the bubble teachers are considering strike action. 2% is nowt said one teacher who prefers to remain anonomyous, some of us have to work close to 30 hours a week. It’s not about the money, it’s about summat else I can’t remember, Bob pass the ready rubbed, when are we next on holiday, what 3 bloody weeks, that’s a lifetime.
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Luminar’s share price is one of the great implosions of the recession. Having said that I don’t think the local management in Jersey were up to much.
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This is what happens when the states develop an area rather than sell the site to private developers – an ugly eyesore now not used in one of the most prominent locations.
When will people learn the states should not own, develop or run anything other than the police. Let the private sector do it they do it better.
Most of the disused buildings and eyesores on this island are states owned. Start selling them off and not just into government quangos like WEB
The new dandara development castle quays will look great when finished liked the west park pavilion site. Private enterprise can’t afford to get it wrong or they go bust the states just tax us more when they get it wrong.
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Ooh, ooh, build some more houses and flats there – go on, dare you …
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I see another Fort Regent on the horizon!
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About time to that this “dump” of a place is closing good riddance.
Only went there a couple of times and there was a very menacing atmosphere.
A friend also went there in the past and had a glass thrown at him which caused superficial cuts, despite the fact he was sitting down minding his own business.
Well thats another toilet closed that could be converted into a cafe hip hip hurrah!
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4. tom h – ‘Let the private sector do it they do it better’.
Really??? Like the way they run banks you mean???
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So.. not only is that more people out of work, its taking away somewhere young people can go (whether it was to everyones taste or not). Plus they continued booking in events right up until last week where they agreed for a local fundraising group to put on a charity event in June – that has now been cancelled after some planning had already been done ! It shows a blatent disregard for everyone on this island and a self centred money grabbing attiitude. Someone with some vision please take it on, before it gets turned into yet MORE mundane overpriced boxes they call ‘homes’.
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No wonder it closed…£4 to get in and £4 for a drink and only 15 people inside. This was a Saturday at 12 mid-night.
Theres little money to spread around all the trendy bars in town. Who’s next?
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‘The new dandara development castle quays will look great when finished liked the west park pavilion site. Private enterprise can’t afford to get it wrong or they go bust the states just tax us more when they get it wrong.’
Have a look at the bottom of the Spectrum development opposite the hospital.
Rows of empty shops line the bottom of the canyon like walkways shrouded in semi darkness. Would I go in there late at night?
No way!
Dandara has developments elsewhere in the world, some of them are now indefinitely mothballed.
Elsewhere Harcourt is unable to come up with the cash to start the Esplanade Quarter which is indefinitely on the back burner, I doubt that it will ever be built.
Stock markets around the world are littered with dead or dying property companies, I have bought shares in a few that I think have a chance, quite a few are just going to be chopped up by their creditors as soon as there is an upturn and the assets look saleable.
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Well put Pip. I would ask how long will it be before these quality builds need knocking down?
“Private enterprise can’t afford to get it wrong or they go bust the states just tax us more when they get it wrong.”
Really please explain what happened with sub prime then? I dare you! Who is paying for that? Is it private enterprise, or Joe Public? Even bankers get touchy when this is mentioned. I just wish people would get it right for once.
My little crystal ball says flats. What do other people’s crystal balls say?
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So, go on with you!
How many units are let at Castle Quays?
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@Mark G – Get a grip thats not expensive. Would you work at 12 midnight? Come to London if you want to go clubbing!
@Pip Clement – Sorry what tax do you pay? Maybe 20pc at most? Have you lived / visited anywhere other than “le Rock”? Try it and speak to people..you’ll find out what tax is. Be grateful and stop moaning!
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The perfect place to put a new supermarket.
With a quick turnover and jobs for locals they couldn’t,t go wrong and would never lack customers.
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The closure of Liquid is a shame, especially for those now without a job. I hope they find further employment soon.
That said, Liquid and Chicago are practically empty most nights. Has anyone been to, or past, Chicago recently? – I did and thought the place was shut.
The problem with Jersey nightlife is that people tend to have their flavour of the month places. When Chicago first opened, it was heaving and places like Chambers were half full. Now, ten years down the line, the theme pub is a bit dated and the masses have all gone back to Chambers and other newly refurbished establishments in the “centre” of town. Plus during winter, who wants to walk to the waterfront for a drink when there are plenty of other pubs and clubs close to each other. Liquid has always been soulless, even when it opened. It really does resemble a converted German bunker.
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14 what a strange and self victimised view you have…it’s rather akin to saying ,a punch in the mouth is preferable to having ones skull fractured,technically true,However Pip is objecting to the metaphorical punch in the face at all,it’s rather like those self righteous folks who ask how you are,and if you have the temerity to tell them,round on you with.People are starving in Ethiopia you know..as if you should have no cause to complain and feel wracked with guilt for doing so….well we are not grateful and reserve the right to moan as much as we like..there’s a boat leaving for Ethiopia anytime soon I believe.L.O.L.
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Good riddance to them, what a load of cr*p they were.
Whilst there at it, get rid of the overpriced cinema – £5 to get in – and then there’s the price of the food, the mark up on that is nearly 300 percent. Hardly a cheap night out when a family of 4 go in.
As for that so called pool, what a joke, I am sure we were promised something spectacular to what is there!
Someone please stop these companies leaving there trail of destruction behind them as they leave!!
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I have fond memories of the “old” Liquid before they messed about with it and quite frankly ruined it. Was the place to be, not everyones taste but I used to go in there and you used to know loads of the people in there. Went around a year ago and totally different. Chicago just feels a little dated to me and of course we have the Royal in town which has taken most of the business away.
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I bet the power are thinking! Just the place for another bank/trust
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Larffaminute….The point i was making is that at the busiest time of the week there were 15 people in side and the cost of the visit was £8. Again…no wonder they closed as it was not popular and they charged to get in even when they needed the business in these hard times. Why did they not reduced the entrance fee?
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Actually my money is on Dandara wanting to build the out of town supermarket on the old dairy site they have paid £8 million for. They have probably realised that in the current overpriced and moribund housing market that they will lose money if they actually build houses on the site.
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As someone who used to visit such clubs in my late teens and early twenties back in the UK they were always going to struggle on Jersey.
First off there are few university aged people living here, this is the clubs main target audiance. Dispite being in St.Helier both the club and cafe rock are not exactly in the heart of the town and people are not going to walk 10mins from other fashionable pubs to get there when there is the likes of Drift ideally placed to capture any late night partiers.
Trade was bound to pick up with the eventual completion of Castle Quay but thats another year or so away yet.
£4 entry is not excessive, though £4 for a drink is getting a little steep. As much as i feel for those losing there jobs (i add my best wishes to those above that they get new ones soon) lets face it, its in the wrong location, aimed at the wrong group of people and lacks local knowledge on there target market.
Something a little classier with free entry should do well, especially if they carry on doing the occasional guest spot for internation DJ’s (even if you have to pay/ticket only)
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23. Paul
“Something a little classier with free entry should do well”
Thats why they had no trouble selling ‘The Bar’
Free, Classy and reasonable prices has kept this bar going.
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Perhaps an over 25/30′s with decent music. That should keep the binge drinking teenage chavs away, then perhaps more people might be inclinded to go out.
I for one am fed up off with st helier, It’s bad enough trying to avoid the cattle markets of most pubs/clubs when out, then having to walk home and avoid getting your face kicked in whilst dodging the pools of vomit and urine really top it off.
Did someone say class, not in St Helier, that’s for sure.
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The fact that Liquid is closed is a great thing. I just hope that the other souless bars and restaurants in this ‘development’ go the same way. Then bulldoze the lot and build something befitting one of the most prestigious positions in one of the worlds’ most exclusive islands.
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Big Bean – Envy started as over 25′s, and due to being empty most of the time they soon changed that ‘policy’!
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Get a company like oceana to take over. its a good site for a club, and if chicago (or what ever it is now) sell to, we can actually have a decent sized, multi story club with variation of music in opne place. there is no need to redevelop it into houses or what not, just make something a little more exciting than the royal squat!
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there is life out side the pub or club jim .
but not as we know it.
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What we need is a club that plays heavy metal really,really loud and cheap beer!
None of this overpriced drinks and chart music for me.
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I remember someone was not allowed in when it first opened bacause they were wearing these jeans …
http://girlstweenclothing.com/images/Burberry-Skinny-Jeans.jpg
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No 28, don’t you know that Oceana and Liquid are just brands of the same company Luminar? They’d have tried that slightly different branding if they thought it would work. As someone else said, Luminar’s brands work,just, in towns and cities with big student populations. Oceana wouldn’t work here even with decent management.
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John (30) yes indeed!
Bring back Bonapartes, many a happy Friday evening was spent there
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#31 Rick. “I remember someone was not allowed in when it first opened bacause they were wearing these jeans …
http://girlstweenclothing.com/images/Burberry-Skinny-Jeans.jpg”
Thank goodness the bouncers had some taste!
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Well i didnt see that one coming.
I think i went there about a month ago on a saturday night and there were about 12 people in there. I stayed for as long as it took me to down my drink and leave.
They should turn this place into a club with alternative music and taste. I dont mean any particular theme i.e. Heavy Metal or Hip Hop. but just mix it up a bit. im sick of going out and hearing the smae songs in the same atmosphere drinking the same drinks with the same people.
O and 1 more thing. Hire some door staff who dont suffer from small man syndrome. Or used to get bullied at school and now have a grudge on anyone bigger then them lol. Its so pathetic. I got banned from Platinum for 3 months for asking a bouncer if i could go back in 2 mins after closing as id left my Jacket – he said no but a near by police office told him he had to let me in. so now he has a grudge. still it was worth it to see his sad little face as the police officer told him to step aside haha. 1-nil!!
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#35 You get the same bouncers everywhere it seems, it’s horrible that those who do their job properly are given a bad name because of those that don’t.
Mixing it up musically certainly seems like a good idea, would stop things getting stale.
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Bouncers, after not being allowed in(fair enough, i was too drunk), then i was banned for three months because i refused to go away I was waiting for my mates to come out and didnt have my phone.(platinum) 3 MONTHS
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time to start from fresh and develop a modern, cutting edge club. who ever takes on the project has a great opportunity to make a kiling. ask for advice from returning students who have been to the biggest clubs in the uk and get some inspiration from them on the layout and theme, but mainly the music. we need something different from the commercial ‘d.j’s’ a term a use very loosely cos all they seem to do is plug their ipod in a pump the same monotonous cr** week in week out.
and this HAS to be a club, no more flats or shops or whatever, we need more choice than the yatch or chambers!!!!
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It’ll be knocked down and made into offices/flats just like everything else.
Liquid went severely downhill after the refurb and they started only letting over 21′s in (and Chicago did this for a bit!), and over 25′s only in Envy. It sent a lot of people down to the likes of Chambers, Platinum, Mint, Yacht…
When I was 18 I had some great nights in there, everyone I knew was in there and it was packed! I’ve only been there a couple of times recently for ticket nights and it has really been dire.
Chambers & Mint are the best places to go in town now after the pubs close, but something else is needed. Live music is the way forward! I say give normal bars late licenses!!
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