EXCLUSIVE
Edinburgh’s most famous club and dance venue will play its last tune on Saturday before closing its doors for good.
Atik, known to generations of live music and dance fans over the years as The Cavendish, Clouds, Outer Limits, Bermuda Triangle and Lava & Ignite, told shocked staff that the famous venue will pull down the shutters this weekend.
It marks the end of an era for the much loved West Tollcross venue which in its heyday played host to famous acts including Pink Floyd, The Jam, The Ramones, The Clash, Depeche Mode, Simple Minds, Culture Club and, more recently, Calvin Harris.
The Edinburgh Reporter understands staff were informed of the sudden closure only last night but have been sworn to secrecy. The legendary venue is owned by REKOM UK, one of the country’s largest operators of night clubs and late night bars.
The lease for the substantial property spread over three floors was up for renewal but an agreement could not be reached. The Tollcross area is sought after by property investors and the location would be a prime site for a potential student accommodation development.
A spokesperson on behalf of ATIK Edinburgh said: “We are sad to announce that ATIK Edinburgh will close on Saturday 21 January having not been able to agree a new lease with the landlord. We would like to thank our loyal guests who have partied with us over the years and our employees who have helped create lasting memories. We are in consultation with our staff and plan to relocate as many as possible. We also hope to return to Edinburgh soon and are looking at a number of sites in the city.”
Staff are said to be dismayed at the bombshell news and have been informed that all will be made redundant.
An Atik source said: “Staff were called into a meeting and told that the venue will close after Saturday and that they are out of a job. No one saw this coming and it is an awful development, not just for the individuals concerned, but it is a massive loss to the Edinburgh dance scene.
“It’s impossible to underestimate the contribution that The Cavendish and all its successive incarnations have made to Edinburgh’s musical and cultural landscape over the decades and this news will be a huge shock for people of all ages.”
More than 1,000 club goers are expected to pack out Atik on Saturday in what is destined to be an emotional farewell event. Stag and hen parties, and others who have made reservations for dates in the months in advance will be contacted in due course.
The venue started life in the 1940s as The New Cavendish ballroom and was soon established as Edinburgh’s premier dancehall, playing host to ballroom and jive, with dancers flocking to the club for its famous “sprung dancefloor”.
In the late 1960s, “the Cav” gave way to Clouds and an updated format which through the ‘70s welcomed the top bands of the day, including Ultravox, The Stranglers, Sham 69, Adam & the Ants, Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Skids, and the Buzzcocks to name a few.
After a five year spell as Outer Limits and then The Hoochie, another name change in the early 1980s introduced Coasters and an experimental phase as a roller disco, but the venue remained a top draw for emerging and established acts with the likes of U2, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, Big Country, Culture Club, New Order, Soft Cell, The Smiths, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, Simply Red and many others gracing the stage.
In 1991 The Cavendish was once more the name above the door at 3 West Tollcross, before changing yet again to Lava & Ignite during which time it welcomed guests including Calvin Harris, Basshunter and Example. Since 2017 the club has traded under the Atik brand and featured in a nightclub scene in the film T2: Trainspotting.
Stephen Rafferty is a former crime correspondent at The Scotsman and was a staff reporter for the Daily Record and Edinburgh Evening News. He has freelanced for many of the Scottish and UK national newspaper titles. Got a story? Get in touch - stephen@theedinburghreporter.co.uk
