Trade Shuts Down After 12 Years

Seminal London afterhours club Trade is closing its doors this weekend after a 12 year run as one of England's most influential clubs. The predominantly hard dance gay club helped break the careers of countless superstar DJs including Tony De Vit, Fergie, Smokin Jo and Tall Paul and finishes this weekend (Sunday 27) with a set from Alan Thompson. Speaking to Skrufff late last year, club promoter Lawrence Malice appeared to see the writing on the wall, when he conceded his club had lost its direction.

"We embraced this whole corporate branding thing years ago, and I'm bored of it," he said.

"I've run loads of clubs and I'm so fucking bored. I'm desperate to do one-off parties, even on a smaller scale."

Tall Paul, whose family own Trade's venue Turnmills, was one of the club's first DJs to crossover from the club, after three years playing the late morning set.

"I've got great memories of that club," Paul told Skrufff in a recent interview.

"It was a unique club when it started with a very unique guest-list as well, which was very cliquey and in-the-know," he recalled.

"At the time there was a big vocal garage scene going on in London and if you liked any other music apart from that, you couldn't hear it in London clubs, except for certain gay and mixed/gay clubs. Trade became so famous because of the music they were breaking."

Malice will be returning with a new bar/venue The Egg in Kings Cross in the New Year.
Tags

• trade