Going Underground: People's Leisure Club, Edinburgh
Something is brewing beneath Bristo Square – as clubs across the UK shut their doors, Edinburgh’s newest underground venture, the People’s Leisure Club, opens, quietly proving nightlife doesn’t have to stay on the Cowgate
There’s a palpable fascination that surrounds Edinburgh’s newest venue, People’s Leisure Club, tucked away in a cavernous basement below Bristo Square. Maybe it's the unlikely trio of businesses at the helm, or the uncanny Lynchian interior, or the sheer guts required to open a club while much of the UK’s nightlife industry falters. Whatever the root cause, the space has gathered intrigue since opening its doors in September. Created from the amalgamated minds of Kelburn Garden Party (beloved arts and music festival), the Gilded Balloon (one of Scotland’s leading comedy producers) and Paradise Palms (wacky cocktail hotspot with record label to boot) – the team behind the venture have no shortage of ambition.
Functioning as a nightclub, a comedy club, live music venue and with a sister pub, the Gilded Saloon, serving seasonal grub upstairs – the multi-purpose space evades easy definition. Driving its vision are individuals who understand the complex dynamics of Edinburgh’s arts scene. Amongst them is Chris Knight, Programme Director and Co-founder of Kelburn Garden Party, who joined alongside the Festival’s team to oversee the programming for the club. “One of my hats is the programming of Kelburn, but I’m also a club promoter in Edinburgh,” he says, “I've got a great love for club culture, I’ve been quite heavily involved for 30 years.” Despite the club opening some two months ago, the networks underpinning the People’s Leisure Club have existed for decades.
It's no surprise then that Kelburn Garden Party’s involvement sets a precedent for the club’s bookings. “One of our [main] strategies and philosophies at Kelburn has always been to collaborate with key people from underground scenes,” Knight says. “I wanted to help create two sides to the club. One was finding a platform for people within our central network who are part of the Kelburn family,” he says, “The other side of the coin is [about] creating a space within Edinburgh’s scene which we think there's a gap in.” The venue’s location away from the Cowgate – Edinburgh’s premier spot for clubbing – suggests this separation. “We’re trying a lot more jazz, funk, soul, disco and house, which is all stuff we love at Kelburn,” Knight adds, “but we’re definitely trying to fit in as well and add to the overall range of spaces in the city centre.”
These considerations – to carve out a niche amongst the top clubs in the city’s Old Town – are all the more necessary with the critical juncture currently facing the UK’s nightlife industry. One in four late-night venues have closed in the UK since 2020, with knock-on effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, escalating running costs and changes in young people’s behaviour taking a severe toll. Has this been cause for rumination? “There’s a certain amount of suspending reality,” says Knight. “In this sector of the arts, when you're presented with such an opportunity, it's hard to resist… but obviously it isn’t easy.” The solution for the team has been to engage with what is successful about UK nightlife. “In terms of wider club and festival culture, there’s a renewed appreciation for community,” he says. “When there’s so much going on in society, community is a really supportive and positive thing… The younger generation in particular are really starting to understand that.”
People's Leisure Club. Photo: Dani Sonder
A crucial element to fostering this sense of community is nurturing the city’s promoters. “There is a lack of promoters and you can see why, it’s a risky business,” Knight says, “We definitely look to find the systems and pathways that can support promoters, and one of those is keeping the rent cheap… the first barrier is finances.” The profile of the promoters making use of the new venue has ranged considerably, from university music societies to household names behind the city’s favourite club nights. As Knight puts it, “We want to have space in the diary and be supportive of anyone doing a night for the first time… we’ll hold their hand and help them to be successful.”
The venue equally champions those directly involved with its operations. Assistant General Manager Bartek Lech has held several nights in the venue as part of Edinburgh DJ collective GRDN. From his perspective as a promoter, Lech explains the venue’s merits, “The People’s Leisure Club definitely has its own unique look and feel. It's the perfect size to have a decent size crowd and still feel intimate, which makes booking a bigger artist easier… there’s less risk of losing money.” As well as its benefits to promoters, Lech recognises its potential among Edinburgh’s wider scene, “It’s going to take time for everyone to become familiar with the place and what we do, but I’m confident we will build a strong community.”
From the extensive musical scope realised for its events, down to the (already iconic) monochrome striped corridors, the People’s Leisure Club is an undeniably bold venture. Yet, with roots firmly grounded in Edinburgh’s creative ecosystem and a burgeoning community to the fore, it is an optimistic sign for the future of the city's nightlife.
People's Leisure Club, 45 Lothian St, Edinburgh
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