Clubs in pubs, well sort of. It's the new London trend, don'tchaknow? Here's a story on The Star of Bethnal Green, opened by Rob Star, aka Rob Hives, that appeared in that there London Metro on Thursday. Rob's a London clubbing geezer who does premiere warehouse rave Mulletover!
CLUBS
The Star
If 1990s club culture gave rise to the ubiquitous ‘DJ bar’, then the noughties has seen the emergence of ‘clubby pubs’, or pubs like Camden’s Lock Tavern programming hip bands and credible DJs in pubs also serving good food. The Lock Tavern’s spawned outposts in Shepherds Bush (Defectors Weld) and New Cross (Amersham Arms), while the Old Queens Head (Islington), and The Westbury (Kilburn) are further examples of the trend.
Rob Hive, 29, an established clubland figure through promoting Mulletover, is bringing the concept to Bethnal Green with The Star: ‘These pubs have come about because people don’t necessarily want to pay £10/£15 to get in to a club but maybe want to go somewhere with DJs you might hear at Fabric, in cool, comfortable surroundings,’ explains Rob.
As Rob mucked in with the builders (friends from his hometown, Leicester), he discovered features that add to the sturdy East End boozer’s individuality. ‘We stripped it back and found original wood panelling, bay windows, corniced ceiling, a fireplace and thick wooden doors with engraved frosted glass and a bullet hole,’ he says.
The Star’s also preserved London club history by making use of the Cross’ and Canvas’ mirrors, sofas and tables. Finishing touches including hand drawn wallpaper, LED lighting that changes according to time of day, fibre optic stars in the ceiling and a strobe, enable the 240 capacity two-floored free house to transform from a relaxed daytime hang out with wi-fi and bites, to an atmospheric comedy, gig and dance space by night.
Rob’s paid particular attention to the programming as he doesn’t want The Star to be a banging sweat box: ‘You’ve got to look after everyone who is going to come and that’s a wide cross section of people,’ he says. The Star hosts comedy on Mondays, quiz and darts on Tuesdays, bands on Wednesday (Martina Topley Bird headlined yesterday’s opening), Thursdays look to the weekend with nights from Hannah Holland and Tayo, Fridays and Saturdays have a 2am license and lean towards disco/house and indie-electro respectively. Sundays are poptastic.
The Star’s a realisation of Rob’s long-held dream: ‘I’ve wanted my own place since I worked at [now defunct superclub] Home in Leicester Square in 2000/1’, he explains. ‘I had a five year plan and found this place: it’s perfect - it’s got a late license, a reputation for live music and everything’s spreading this way with the T Bar, Shoreditch House and Beach Blanket Babylon, so it’s a prime location.’
Rob’s not just targeting moneyed young professionals, but the area’s creatives and locals too. ‘We’ve introduced a card so locals will get a discount and I’ve invited residents and businesses in for a drink to let them know I’m here to stay, and live upstairs,’ says Rob. ‘We’re just a local pub with good music and good food.’
The Star, 359 Bethnal Green Road E2, Tel: 0207729 0167. Tube: Bethnal Green www.starofbethnalgreen.com
