Share Your Memories of Ikon

[Paul Comstive]

I see the Bolton News are running this on their site.

Do you think they'd publish, "Getting hammered and then fingering many a bird on the settees upstairs"?

[Manny]

None, the place was terrible. The only good thing about it was I could get in before I turned 18.

Bolton will become a worse place because of this though because all the people who went there will now start to take over other, better places.

[largehat]

Is it closing down then?

I think I only went in once when it was Ikon, it was Ritzy in my clubbing in Bolton days.

Finest memory of Ritzy - other than tapping off - was going in one night at random with my mate. We were on the dancefloor doing our moves and gradually, it started filling up with women, I mean, 90% women, we were loving it and couldn't believe our luck.

Then, around midnight, there was this huge rush of female flesh towards the stage, which we were stood near. Just when we thought we were in for a clunge fest, the cheesy singer Kenny Gee walked on to the stage and started doing a set and all the punani went mental. We were pinned to the stage for about an hour, pissed and singing along and being groped by wanton middle aged women, it was great.

[Paul Comstive]

It's doors have now officially shut.

Bit sad really.

Yes it was a dump, but for many many years it was THE nighclub in town.

With late licensing allowed now there really is no call for folk to have to leave Bradshawgate any more.

In my yoof, when I wasn't out taking pills at Wigan Pier, I'd be in Ritzy/Ikon/Central Park/5th Avenue preying on vulnerable and drunken girls.

Happy days.

[largehat]

So is that what they're putting the closure down to then? Late licensing on Bradshawgate over the last few years? Just done a google news search and can't find anything about it.

I remember the ongoing procession down past Woolies after kicking out time at the boozers ten year years ago, people rushing to join the queue.

[Paul Comstive]

I've not heard an offical line per se, but I'd say it has to be the reason.

The majority of bars are open until well past 2am and you;ve got the option to go from one shithole to another ... all without having to pay.

That's not the case with Ikon.  It is 'off the beaten track' and you have to pay to get in.

I think late licensing has probably killed off a lot of nightclubs up and down the country.  All they can do to draw in the crowds is to offer big promos on drinks... but that is nowadays frowned on by do-gooders as it encourages something apparently called binge drinking.  Not only that but it serves to only reduce profit margins.  If your club is packed out, then all good and well, but if you're selling at a low margin to a small customer base then you're in trouble... hence it's closure.

As I said, bit of a shame.  There's something I like about everyone heading to the one venue, everyone stood queuing to get in, wearing their best togs.

Maybe I'm just a romantic old cnut though.

It just seems more charming than the scrotes you now see staggering from Swannies to Bamboogie in their canvas shoes and stupid chino pants hanging around their knees.

Maybe I'm just a miserable old cnut though.

[Manny]

There were a number of Ikon's up and down the country and the company that owns then went into administration a couple of months ago. That's the reason they've shut down.

I always thought the one in Bolton got pretty busy but if it's not a successful business as a whole, then they all close.

[Big_Sharps]

Ikon is sik.

[largehat]

To be honest, Paul, I wish I was in my late teens and early 20s now rather than 10-15 years ago.

I've never been into dance music really, sometimes I'd go out and just want a late drink and a laugh with my mates rather than having to stand round in a noisy club. Nowadays, and this will make me sound proper sad, my favourite night out in Bolton ends in Barristers. I can nip out into a covered quad and smoke, and I can listen to a great musician on an acoustic (maybe with a pianist) playing music I love. I just love the ambience. Can sit there until 3am, have a chat with the guitarist, maybe get in a request or too, have a bit of a sing along, stagger out, get a chicken burger from Allen's fried chicken, jump in a black cab without queueing for hours like in the old days.

Unless it's a big reunion or something I'd much rather do that now most of the time.

[Paul Comstive]

Doesn't sound sad to me mate - I do exactly the same thing these days.

But, looking around, I'd much rather have been doing what I did 15 years ago, going to clubs, taking drugs, etc

... and no, it's not big and it's no clever, but by christ it was an experience. Would I do it all over again now?  Would I fcuk!  It's a period of my life that's been and gone.  Like you now I'm happy just to be somewhere where it's a nice chilled atmosphere and where I can talk to my mates without having to shout.  There's also the odd tidy piece in the smoking area to have a perv at (or snog and grope a la Boxing Day if she's lucky).

Thanks Largehat, you've just made me realise I really HAVE turned into an old bastard 

[Paul Comstive]

There were a number of Ikon's up and down the country and the company that owns then went into administration a couple of months ago. That's the reason they've shut down.

.. and why would it go into administration?

Only a few months ago the Luminar Group (which runs numerous chains of nightclubs around the country) also went into administration due to poor trading results.  

The smoking ban was another nail in the coffin for nightclubs.  The relaxed laws on opening hours was the final nail.

[hjd]

Luminar went into administration with huge debts. Only  clubs which proved to be profitable have been kept open. Ikon had a vey poor festive season when they would have expected to be really busy hence the administrators pulled the plug. 

[Martinbwfc]

Ritzy on a Wednesday night was sh1t hot, loads of cougars gagging for it, Thursday was always a hard day at work.......... oh happy days.

[Squidgy]

I didn't even know it had changed names.

If it wasn't for drunken nights out in Ritzy's I probably would have never got laid in my yoof.

[DaveBWFC]

That fat bouncer with blonde hair who worked at Ritzy's was a cúnt. Anybody remember him?

[a.s]

Shithole, but a decent one when you were gurning and looking for slappers.

Nights when you went there steamers and washed a few pills down, then woke up the day after with vague memories of getting lobbed out by the gorilla bouncer.

NYE 2001 in Ikon was bumping, and now I feel old typing that........

That's gone along Temple/Eden and Atlantis - nevermind, you'll be able to buy a flat there in a few years.

[Paul Comstive]

You had pills in Ikon?  Yikes.

I tended to stick to booze in Ikon and left pills for places that did them justice, ie Bowlers and Wigan Pier.

[Squidgy]

A.S. would take pills in ASDA.

[RustyMcHayes]

I think I only ever went once believe it or not, my lot were Hawthorne's regulars. Start off in the Old 3, then Blue Boar for a couple then on to the club. Not the best place for pulling but the music was decent.

[Martinbwfc]

Only the unwashed ever went to hawthornes.

[largehat]

All three establishments mentioned by Rusty were fairly relaxed on the ID front. Not bad if you're 16/17 and you want to sup til 2am, that itenary.

[RustyMcHayes]

Indeed Hat, I remember we used to get hammered on Newcy Brown, think it was £1.10 a bottle or something daft. Used to go in town with a tenner, get wrecked and still have change to share a taxi home. Them wert days eh lad!!

We used to think Hawthorn's was the dog's kahunas but then when we turned 18, my eyes were opened after we went to Cream in Liverpool. Then we were here, there and everywhere. The Orbit and Hard Times in Leeds, Sankeys and Club Code in Manchester, Cream and Bugged Out in Liverpool, Out in The Sticks in Todmorden used to be a cracking night aswell. God I miss them messy nights out!

[largehat]

Never seen a huge clubber personally. I spent ages 19-23 living away from Bolton too. I've never really been into going to other towns to go in clubs. I've only been in clubs in other towns and cities if I've found myself there for some other reason. Blackpool is an exception. Had some great nights out in Blackpool. One of my favourite ever photos is me and one of my mates behind the counter at The Godfather takeaway in Blackpool, posing with the guy behind the counter and the donner kebab rack. Used to love Lionel Vinyl at Heaven & Hell. Bloke in a bright orange suit, massive afro wig and assorted medallions playing cheesy 70s/80s music and giving it the big "I am" at the DJ station. Classic.

I think it was technically impossible to pull in Hawthornes. Too many goths and smellies. I remember the toilets being hellish too.

Cracking memories of the Blue Boar and the Old Three when I was at 6th form. I was in the Blue Boar when England lost to Germany on penalties at Euro 96. A photographer from the Bolton Evening News took photos, and we ended up both in the paper and on the wall of a pub for several years. I even pulled in there once. Wouldn't happen now.

[RustyMcHayes]

Yep the bogs were rank, constantly flooded if I remember rightly. We got friendly with some of the DJs so they basically used to just play the music we wanted - Stone Roses, Prodigy, Underworld, Chemical Brothers, Happy Mondays and the like. Copped off a couple of times in there but they were nothing to brag about as you will understand!

I've always lived in Bolton but most of my mates were away at Uni so it used to be great for me going to a different City every weekend to sample the night-life, and of course I always had free digs. Although I'd usually be stuck on a lilo surrounded my Pizza boxes and empty Super Noodle packets.

[Squidgy]

I seem to recall them doing a student night on a Tuesday (?).

80p a pint. Bloody brilliant for drinking games.

The mention of the loos constantly being flooded (and covered in puke) just brought it all back to me. I loved that place!!