on the scene
from May 2007

Bradford’s popular gay pub, The Sun narrowly escaped being burnt down on Easter Monday reports Paul Hunt. Sadly the sister club, Club Life, has been demolished.

The venues’ management team, Nick Dennison and Mark Moorhouse told Shout! that they are desperately trying to seek alternative premises on a temporary basis to use as a venue. A large exclusion zone was set up in the city centre as 100 firefighters tackled an intense blaze which all but destroyed an entire block of buildings adjoining the club and pub. At the heart of the operation, 20 fire engines, including four appliances with aerial platforms, were on the scene. The blaze, which began just before midnight on Easter Monday, raged through the night. Dennison and Moorhouse, who manage both The Sun and Club Life, were awakened by the sound of fire engines and smoke entering the pub.

Moorhouse said: ‘We opened up Club Life four years ago to give people somewhere to go if they wanted to dance later into the night. We have built up business as well, so to have it taken away in one night is a shock. It’s devastating.’

Emergency demolition work, ordered on health and safety grounds by the Council began within days. The club’s owners are said to be devastated but extremely thankful no one was hurt. They’d like to thank all customers for the support over the past four years and assure customers that The Sun will continue to serve the lgbt community of Bradford.

But Bradford’s clubbers will soon have an alternative venue. A new club, Candy, will be opening on May 3rd, on Sackville Street, just up from the old S29 Club.

The promoters tell us that it’ll be open til 2am on Thursdays and Sundays and 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.

‘Entrance is free every Thursday and before 10.30pm Friday Saturday and £5 thereafter,’ they say, ‘with a happy hour from 7- 9pm. We have two splendid floors and both will be open every Friday and Saturday night with a capacity of 500 spread between the two.’

See next month’s issue for more details.