RIP Light Nigthclub (aka Heaven)

Omackeral · 09-04-2013 12:46am #1

So this weekend has apparently seen the last of Dublin 15's most (in)famous late night spot. But what's the deal? Is it curtains for good? Has the Light been permanently shut off? Or is this a strategic ploy to start up a reboot and re-branding of the venue we seemingly have or have had a love/hate relationship with?

What would you like to see done with the place originally known as West, and more famously, Heaven?

What are/were your opinions of it in any of its incarnations?

Any chat, ideas or discussion welcomed.

jeffk · 09-04-2013 11:31am

Go back to West, but then I suppose you wont get half of the things that helped make West is best.

A pub that became a nightclub, no entrance fees(I know that changed towards the end)
Sound staff and bouncers
Almost always full of people you knew from going each week
Under the big screen behind the couch was the cloakroom and I don’t remember many or an items going missing or being “lost”, unlike the official cloakroom
KFC stayed open after West closed

But then I think maybe it was right place/time, the country wasn’t in a heap and everyone had money and weren’t afraid to spend it. Mind you €5 for a pint of Smirnoff ice was still hard to pay(showing my age)

Morag · 09-04-2013 4:05pm

I was in it once for about 10 mins, there was no atmosphere, no were to sit, it was so garish and the price of a drink was very over priced, esp it is not city center.
Not surprised it has closed.

miamee · 10-04-2013 12:41pm

I remember when it was still West, getting a half day from work when Ireland were in the World Cup (not a clue which one, lol) and going there in all our greens to watch the match on the big screen, we were there for the day. It was a brilliant day. We used to go there a lot when it was West and maybe twice or three times when it was Heaven but we were nearly too old to be seen there at that stage

You'd always see people you knew from back in school though, good laugh. Pity it all went downhill, the worst thing they ever did was black up all the windows that they had, made it look like a dungeon inside (IMO)

duke916 · 10-04-2013 1:23pm

miamee wrote: »

Pity it all went downhill, the worst thing they ever did was black up all the windows that they had, made it look like a dungeon inside (IMO)

My thoughts exactly. I used to love West. Was there most weekends for a period of about a year. The place was run well, people came from all over and it was the 'in' place to be at the time. So much better than having to trek into the city for a night out. Once it reopened and there was no windows i thought straight away 'dodgy hole!'. Sure enough i had a visit not so long ago and wasnt surprised by its dark, grotty and almost too much an edgy atmosphere. After paying €10 admission fee I had half a bottle of beer with a friend and we left. Glad to see it gone and scum that surrounded it.

Unless they make it a fancy restaurant or something to that effect then I think its always goin to remain a hole as a club if reopened as one.

Omackeral · 10-04-2013 4:20pm

Did Chasers in Dunboyne do it much damage patron wise? It was still majorly popular with 18-late 20's from 2005-2010 iirc.

Their beach party was pretty cool and left me with many fond memories. In the end, they just start letting all sorts of tramps in and that became its downfall IMO.

As an aside, did Ice (or Slice) ever do a good trade in D15? If so, what years etc?

Wils110 · 13-04-2013 4:14pm

Damage was caused by the greyhound and salmons no cc and drink promotions open till 3

triple-M · 14-04-2013 4:46pm

Wils110 wrote: »

Damage was caused by the greyhound and salmons no cc and drink promotions open till 3

excuse my ignorance but what does cc stand for?

Fresh Pots · 14-04-2013 4:50pm

triple-M wrote: »

excuse my ignorance but what does cc stand for?

Cover charge

triple-M · 14-04-2013 10:24pm

TheTechGuy wrote: »

Cover charge

thanks I was thinking credit card

Finglas Incubus · 16-04-2013 4:19pm

Omackeral wrote: »

As an aside, did Ice (or Slice) ever do a good trade in D15? If so, what years etc?

[queue nostalgia]

I can't comment on recent times but I would have frequented the venue the odd time when it was called Frenchies back in the mid 90's, it packed them in back then. Mind you, it was a dive and was way down the list of places to go of an evening - select clientele of the time would frequent The End and The County Club, Frenchies was the place to go if you got refused elsewhere!

[/end nostalgia]

Sadderday · 16-04-2013 4:27pm

It's a pity Light closed... I know it was probably the most appealling of places for all but it was great to decide at the last minute on a saturday that ya fancied a dance and could stroll over there..... now it's pretty much into town for that.

Shame.

Omackeral · 16-04-2013 10:42pm

Finglas Incubus wrote: »

[queue nostalgia]

I can't comment on recent times but I would have frequented the venue the odd time when it was called Frenchies back in the mid 90's, it packed them in back then. Mind you, it was a dive and was way down the list of places to go of an evening - select clientele of the time would frequent The End and The County Club, Frenchies was the place to go if you got refused elsewhere!

[/end nostalgia]

Thanks for the info! What/where was The End?

Gaspode · 16-04-2013 10:57pm

Think it was in Phoenix Park racecourse

miamee · 17-04-2013 10:22am

Gaspode wrote: »

Think it was in Phoenix Park racecourse

You're right it was in the Phoenix Park Racecourse in one of the old stand buildings if I remember correctly.

Gaspode · 17-04-2013 1:55pm

I frequented it a bit back in the days when I had hair, disposable income and a social life!

dodzy · 18-04-2013 11:04am

Gaspode wrote: »

.... when I had hair

Ah yes, the fond memories !:pac:

Morag · 18-04-2013 1:40pm

Gaspode wrote: »

I frequented it a bit back in the days when I had hair, disposable income and a social life!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tG6P2rBU-ho

A V A · 22-04-2013 3:15pm

glad its gone and people that came with it!! it was full of the same pathetic people that went every week

A V A · 22-04-2013 3:15pm

but now all the those dopes are now in the greyhound

Sadderday · 22-04-2013 3:17pm

A V A wrote: »

glad its gone and people that came with it!! it was full of the same pathetic people that went every week

And you know this because you were also there every week??

A V A · 22-04-2013 4:15pm

Sadderday wrote: »

And you know this because you were also there every week??

theres a little thing called facebook or twitter or instagram ,dont know weather you've heard of them??but people are able to put up status's and pictures etc

Sadderday · 22-04-2013 4:20pm

A V A wrote: »

theres a little thing called facebook or twitter or instagram ,dont know weather you've heard of them??but people are able to put up status's and pictures etc

So while all those pathetic people are put dancing on a saturday night, you're checking your facebook, twitter or instagram??

what's worse?

The place was a kip I agree!, But I frequented it as a local spot for a dance and often met people there that visited every week.... I don't think it's necessary to use the term pathetic to describe the majority of clientele

A V A · 22-04-2013 4:27pm

Sadderday wrote: »

So while all those pathetic people are put dancing on a saturday night, you're checking your facebook, twitter or instagram??

what's worse?

The place was a kip I agree!, But I frequented it as a local spot for a dance and often met people there that visited every week.... I don't think it's necessary to use the term pathetic to describe the majority of clientele

yeah thats how pathetic they are, posting pictures on social networking site while they are out on a night out

how pathetic

Sadderday · 22-04-2013 4:30pm

A V A wrote: »

yeah thats how pathetic they are, posting pictures on social networking site while they are out on a night out how pathetic

ah, that's just the 21st century for ya

Omackeral · 22-04-2013 7:55pm

Excuse the pun but is the Greyhound dog-rough nowadays?

EI2011 · 22-04-2013 7:58pm

was not a huge fan of the place but the bouncers were very sound if they knew your face so pre drinking a heap load was never an issue. well better than the greyhound

Wils110 · 23-04-2013 1:16pm

Alot of lads drinking in the local pubs are saying it will be back open soon.......this is a complete rumour I heard while down the bell Sunday there's a Leinster player interested in taking over the place

A V A · 24-04-2013 11:04am

i heard its being turned into a sports bar or a bistro

andersat2 · 24-04-2013 11:10am

I think the best place outside M50 ring is ARC in Lucan.
They have 3 Euro all pints 10-12pm - THAT's BARGAIN!!
The crowd is a bit youngster, but not agressive like it was in Light,
food great, music trendy.

triple-M · 26-04-2013 8:56am

heard "purple monkey dishwasher"

robertxxx · 04-05-2013 11:40pm

It was better when it was west, you could watch Saturday football and stay on a bit later if you liked, and you could see out.

Maybe it's going to be turned into an Eastern Europe night club!

A V A · 04-05-2013 11:51pm

should turn it into a lap dancing club

fluff_daddy · 31-05-2013 12:09pm

andersat2 wrote: »

I think the best place outside M50 ring is ARC in Lucan.
They have 3 Euro all pints 10-12pm - THAT's BARGAIN!!
The crowd is a bit youngster, but not agressive like it was in Light,
food great, music trendy.

is this in the Clarion hotel?

ScouseMouse · 31-05-2013 12:14pm

ARC is the big glass building next to the Clarion.

Apart from being next to each other, its nothing to do the the hotel.

jhammer · 17-11-2014 11:21am

PUB CHAIN JD Wetherspoon have bought another pub in Dublin, bringing their total in the city to four.
The company said this morning it has bought the former Light Nightclub in Blanchardstown – a large premises on the Westend Commercial Village site.
It marks an expansion into west Dublin for the chain, which opened its first Irish pub in Blackrock earlier this year and has taken over two more premises in Dun Laoghaire and Swords.
With four pubs, the company will become a significant player on the capital’s nightlife scene. The famous Chawke pub group currently owns six pubs, while the Smith group owns seven. The Louis Fitzgerald group lists 16 Dublin pubs on its website.
Wetherspoon’s chairman Tim Martin told DailyEdge.ie earlier this year that Irish pubs need “more competitive prices” to survive. The company’s Irish price list was widely shared on social media last month.
The chain said it plans to invest €3million in converting the Light Nightclub into a large pub. Here’s a video from the club in former days:

jeffk · 17-11-2014 11:32am

Be interesting to see what they do with it.

A sports bar would be a obvious one, show sports from America if they get a late licence.

I think with the Bell/Clonsila a pay in night club isnt going to work. Why pay in to something you can get free,especially if it means a taxi from said pubs then pay in.

oblivious · 17-11-2014 11:40am

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/sectors/agribusiness-and-food/jd-wetherspoon-to-open-pub-in-blanchardstown-1.2003900

oblivious · 17-11-2014 11:43am

jeffk wrote: »

A sports bar would be a obvious one, show sports from America if they get a late licence..

Spoons pub model is pity standard, Cheap food and beer with a common décor

jeffk · 17-11-2014 11:45am

oblivious wrote: »

Spoons pub model is pity standard, Cheap food and beer with a common décor

I heard that alright,planning on going to the one in Belfast when im up there

Dare I say it will fit in with some of the local clientele so

oblivious · 17-11-2014 11:56am

jeffk wrote: »

I heard that alright,planning on going to the one in Belfast when im up there

Dare I say it will fit in with some of the local clientele so

They do tend to reflect the local area, some are good some are bad. I do think this is a win for the average pub consumer, you can go out and have a few pint and have change in you pocket

jeffk · 17-11-2014 11:59am

oblivious wrote: »

They do tend to reflect the local area, some are good some are bad. I do think this is a win for the average pub consumer, you can go out and have a few pint and have change in you pocket

You cant say no to cheaper drink,heard the food is cheap as well

ThisRegard · 17-11-2014 12:54pm

jeffk wrote: »

Dare I say it will fit in with some of the local clientele so

A bit unfair. It'll attract many that want to have a good variety of beers and ales, as well as families out for a bit of lunch.

A sports bar would be awful, not that it's going to happen. But sports bars are the worse for going for a pint in.

jeffk · 17-11-2014 12:56pm

ThisRegard wrote: »

A bit unfair. It'll attract many that want to have a good variety of beers and ales, as well as families out for a bit of lunch.

A sports bar would be awful, not that it's going to happen. But sports bars are the worse for going for a pint in.

You ever been in the Budda Bar? If that crowd are let in then im being fair hinting

Well something different from whats here, unles people are happy with going to the same old same old and sure its cheaper to drink there

ThisRegard · 17-11-2014 1:09pm

I had been to it, but you can't compare the two, it's been how many years since that closed?

jeffk · 17-11-2014 1:10pm

ThisRegard wrote: »

I was, but you can't compare the two, it's been how many years since that closed?

Im comparing the potential customers this sort of venue could attract,which I hope it doesnt.

miamee · 17-11-2014 1:18pm

The Budda Bar is closed about ten years at this stage so I think the same clientele won't be around for weekend pints

The area has changed a lot in that time, it'll be interesting to see how it does. I'd say it will get off to a great start anyway, there isn't a huge variety of places in the area as far as going for a few drinks goes and it's in a good location for shoppers, office workers, students, cinema-goers etc.

jeffk · 17-11-2014 1:22pm

Very true, most are likely on holidays now

I hope it does well, seems it covers all with drink, coffee and food, never a bad thing to have a choice to go somewhere new and hopefully better

B.A._Baracus · 17-11-2014 5:11pm

So Light / Heaven / West / Whatever flavor of the month (

) is finally closed. Surprised it took so long tho as so many other clubs in Dublin have gone over the years. Never thought Q-Bar would ever go with the ques you'd see outside the place.

miamee · 17-11-2014 5:12pm

B.A._Baracus wrote: »

So Light / Heaven / West / Whatever flavor of the month ( ) is finally closed. Surprised it took so long tho as so many other clubs in Dublin have gone over the years. Never thought Q-Bar would ever go with the ques you'd see outside the place.

The OP was posted in April 2013, when it actually closed :P

Just resurrected today as Wetherspoons are said to have purchased it.

B.A._Baracus · 17-11-2014 5:22pm

miamee wrote: »

The OP was posted in April 2013, when it actually closed :P

Just resurrected today as Wetherspoons are said to have purchased it.

bahahaha.
shows how out of touch I am :pac:

RIP Light Nigthclub (aka Heaven)

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