11 nightclubs close, but 'business as usual' for the rest

Jongleurs nights held in clubs owned by failed nightclub operator Luminar appear safe for now, after the venues escaped closure by the administrators.

Ernst & Young have announced the closure of 11 loss-making sites, but say the remaining 65 will continue to trade as normal as they seek a potential buyer.

Luminar – which runs Liquid, Oceana and Lava & Ignite clubs – collapsed last week with debts of £85million after failing to strike an agreement with the banks.

Now ‘non-core’ venues in Brighton, Bury St Edmunds, Basingstoke, Wigan, Hemel Hempstead, High Wycombe, Northampton, Mansfield, Redditch, Sunderland and Swindon are to go, with the loss of 300 jobs.

Alan Hudson, the joint administrator, said the closures leave a core estate of profitable clubs, which have attracted interest from a number of potential buyers.

Jongleurs runs nights in 11 Luminar venues: Basildon Liquid & Envy, Birmingham Oceana, Cardiff Oceana, Edinburgh Lava & Iginte, Kingston Hippodrome, Leeds Oceana, Milton Keynes Oceana, Newcastle Liquid, Norwich Project, Swansea Oceana and Watford Oceana.

Jongleurs founder Maria Kempinska has always insisted Luminar's problems would not affect her business. Next week she opens a club with her own name, Kempinska's, in the City Of London.

Published: 2 Nov 2011