Clapham Grand?

[DavidB]

Anyone going to the Clapham Grand tonight???

[Will]

. (pressed wrong button)

[Paul F]

I meant to ask earlier but how has this venue been received to date?

Is it a sparkling jewel??

[JamesGeary]

From the pictures the venue looks like it ought to be be very good.

Rather unfortunately, I've heard that it has not been a hit.

But that if you can't afford a rollercoaster ride, go to the grand instead. You'll get dizzy and disorientated from the flashing lights and smoke and dark, and at only half the price.

[Paul F]

Originally posted by JamesGeary

Rather unfortunately, I've heard that it has not been a hit.



Thats a shame :sad:

I was kind of hoping that this would stand out as a venue to be seen in. Maybe time is all it needs??

(as a brief aside, how is the new night in the Swedish Church Hall (replacement for St Marys) working out on a friday?? )

[DavidB]

I lasted about 30 minutes. I don't think I'll be going back.

The floor is a mixture of smooth concrete (ok grip, but obviously not sprung) and class panels covering the lights on the floor (like ice, but with ridges between each panel.)

It is pretty dark inside, with the only lighting being the flashing disco lights and various mirror balls. I found myself getting dizzy, especially if I was sitting down at the side.

Most of the people were very friendly - lots of beginners and a few intermediates. (The exception was one lady who seemed supremely disinterested with dancing with anyone she didn't know. I can't remember the last time I regretted asking someone to dance.)

David

[TheTramp]

Originally posted by DavidB
(The exception was one lady who seemed supremely disinterested with dancing with anyone she didn't know. I can't remember the last time I regretted asking someone to dance.)Heh. Snap David. Happened to me too last night.

Still, I guess we learn, don't we.

Steve

[JamesGeary]

Who is teaching there?

[Paul F]

I really dont get it.

Why does a company (not just ceroc) choose to move into a venue which is simply not suitable??

In this case it sounds like the floor is one of the main downsides.

I was lucky enough to chance upon Brighouse Civic Hall last week which, in my opinion, is running in 1st place for 'Best Floor 2003/2004' with Twyford. Although it wasnt the biggest of venues I had one of the best nights because of the floor.

Considering this is one of the key ingredients I cant help but think there must be somewhere more suitable.

Maybe we will never know!!

[Jooles]

I find it hard to believe that anybody would look at The Grand and think it was ever going to be a good venue for ceroc.

The dance floor is tiny as well as being difficult to dance on.

There are little holes all over the floor and your heels fall into them when you spin.

You can dance on the stage where there is more room, but the floor is not supposed to be for dancing and it's not polished so not easy to spin.

The whole place is dark and gloomy and uninviting.

I was hoping it was just a temporary venue, but I'm told that's not the case.

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by Jooles
I find it hard to believe that anybody would look at The Grand and think it was ever going to be a good venue for ceroc.

Are they trying to make it appeal to the younger, clubbier crowd?

http://www.ceroclondon.com/the_grand.htm

Just speculating...

Chris

[JamesGeary]

The younger clubbier crowd currently makes up less than 5% of mjers. They are going to have to build up a younger crowd for the venue from scratch.

[ChrisA]

Originally posted by JamesGeary
The younger clubbier crowd currently makes up less than 5% of mjers.
And is it any wonder? It's a hell of a market segment to try and crack, since culturally (fags, booze, music too loud to talk, meat market) it's so different from the way Ceroc has been.

If even half of the critisicms of the Grand as a venue that I've read here are true, there must be some ulterior reason for picking it - cos the management simply aren't dumb enough to pick a smoky club with a small, crap dance floor and tout it as the best thing since sliced bread.

I'll have to give it a try one night I'm not taxiing at Twickenham...

Chris

[stewart38]

As the web site says

"We can't promise that these girls will be here every week, so make sure you bring some change with you to do buy your own drinks."

Good luck to them

Perhaps should be some men there as well ? for the ladies ?

[Doc Iain]

Well i hope that it is a success. It is right opposite the station and so i s very accessable. Personally I like the lighting, especially when the lighting lady is actually doing something and putting on a bit of a show! It does appear to have been a bit brighter this week than in the past.

I agree the floor is not huge but the stage area is and people are atarting to cotton on to that....."oh yeah, theres all that large space not being used!"...

The floor is a bit of an issue, but the area around the outside is ok for dancing on. The glass flooring is a bit hit and miss (ok mostly a miss at the moment) but when I last went there on a proper club night I do not remeber it being that bad so hopefully they will get that fixed, then the only problem will be the tricky transition when one foot is on the glass and one on the rest of the floor!.... splits here we come.

Hopefully given then the venue are being helpful and seem to want us there, it will become a huge success and be as busy as the jive bar and fulham were this week, and as far as I am aware there would be no problems with a younger crowd there. Given time as all venues do it will gain its regulars, then the beginners will follow and so on....