First Published: November 2004
This is an OutUK Archive Item and so some of the links and information may be out of date.
| There can't be a gay man in the UK who hasn't already been to, or will probably end up spending at least one night at, Heaven. It's arguably the world's most famous gay club and it's been a fixture under the Arches at Charing Cross for 25 years. On the 27th November, Heaven celebrates it's birthday with a massive night marking a quarter of a century of gay clubbing. |
|
| Heaven opened in 1979, the same year Margaret Thatcher became Prime Minister, Sony Walkmans appeared in the shops and best-selling single of the year was YMCA by The Village People. | |
|
David Inches has been General Manager of the club since it opened, and he's
now co-owner and creative director. He's been talking to OutUK's Adrian Gillan
about Heaven's history and what's to come....
OutUK: So do you think many of your original customers been coming to Heaven, like you, for the last 25 years?
|
|
That said, many older clubbers are actually
returning - because they're fed up of doing weekend "drug fucks" that need the
rest of the week for recovery.
BRANSON'S BABYOutUK: Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson owned Heaven from 1980 until 2002, almost from the start. What impact did he have?David: He stood behind us. We were an important part of his life, in relation to where he was going personally. He stuck with us through all of it, through all our ups and downs - even when British Airways were hassling Heaven as a way of trying to get at Virgin. OutUK: Why did Richard Branson decide to step back from Heaven two years ago and let you buy it? David: Richard buys and sells businesses all the time. To be honest, I was surprised he stuck with us as long as he did, what with all his other big projects. There were initially dozens of investors eager to buy of him but many pulled out after 9/11. And Virgin seemed keen - if we could raise the money ourselves - to have this management buy-out, maybe to keep a club they'd spent so much time with in good hands! | |
|
OutUK: Is it making you any money yet?
David: Not when weighed against our initial investment! We've got 4-5 more years yet - having laid our lives on the line, mortgaged to the hilt - before we'll hopefully make some clear money. It'll be tough. And we want to make money, not just for ourselves, but to plough back into the club. |
|
THE FIRST NIGHTOutUK: What can you remember about that first night in 1979?David: We had three first nights actually. Lots of hype: "Heaven is coming!" All three were packed. Amazing. | |
|
OutUK: When Heaven first started, was there much competition?
David: A little. The first big gay night in London - predating Heaven by a few years - was Bang, on Mondays at what is now LA2 on Charing Cross Road. And then there were the smaller clubs that were very popular: I was weaned on things like Yours or Mine at High Street Kensington and others around Earls Court.
OutUK: Have you been able to keep Heaven fresh over the last quarter century? |
|
| Because I'm from North America we modelled ourselves very much on the music and ideal of clubbing and of being gay that was coming out of the US at that time - way in advance of the UK. Also pre-AIDS. | |