Imagine stepping back in time to your favourite Gloucestershire nightclub—reliving the laughter with friends, the never-ending dance floor, and perhaps the thrill of meeting someone special. We asked locals which clubs they’d love to revisit, and some iconic venues stood out as the clear crowd favourites.
For those who danced the nights away in Cheltenham during the ’90s and early 2000s, Subtone on The Promenade holds a special place in the heart. More than just a club, Subtone boasted a piano bar, café, and club spread across three floors. Beloved for its vibrant atmosphere and impressive cocktails, this venue became a cornerstone of nightlife, hosting legendary British acts like Massive Attack and Chase and Status. One reader fondly remembers “dancing on the coffee table in the piano bar, singing away with a packed room and having the best nights.” Another, a former drum ’n’ bass DJ, called it “a distant gem” they were lucky to be part of. Subtone’s doors closed on New Year’s Eve 2016 after two decades, and the building has since been repurposed.
Gloucester’s KCs on Quay Street was a beloved hotspot during the 1980s and ’90s, famous for its sticky carpets, cheesy chips, and unforgettable tunes. Nestled beside the Brewery pub, it featured two floors with the latest hits downstairs and classics upstairs. Many couples shared their first dances here, with relationships from those nights enduring the test of time. You’ve recalled hanging out on the stairs, playing pool, or hitting the dance floor, with a pint costing just £1 in 1998. KCs later became Envy and Lansons but closed permanently in 2009. Sadly, years later an illegal cannabis farm was discovered in the abandoned building.
Travel back to the Swinging Sixties and the Blue Moon on Cheltenham High Street was the place to be for live music lovers. The “coolest place” welcomed acts who would go on to global fame—Jimi Hendrix, Cream, The Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, and The Who all graced its tiny stage. Even the Four Tops played their very first UK show here. In the early 1980s, the venue transformed into the Night Owl nightclub, becoming a biker favourite known for “sticky floors and no toilet doors, but a great place.” It was a vibrant haunt where friendships and romances blossomed, eventually evolving into a goth rock sanctuary, beloved for its unique charm. Over the years, it changed further into Mistys and The Attic; today, the site houses retail stores Monsoon and Accessorize.
Gas, later renamed Chemistry, was a Cheltenham institution in the ’80s and ’90s, attracting partygoers from far and wide. Beyond dance nights, it hosted live bands and celebrity appearances—including BBC’s Steve Wright and EastEnders’ Paul Bradley. In its mid-’90s heyday, eager guests queued to enter this four-level venue in St James’s Square. Nostalgic visitors recall it fondly as their first nightclub experience, with “pound a pint nights” and infamous drinks like Mad Dog 20/20. The club closed its doors in 2005.
A club with many names—Time, Moda, Charles, V2, Lace, or Buskers—occupied the corner of High Street and Albion Street in Cheltenham throughout the ‘80s, ‘90s, and early 2000s. Also home to the George and Pilgrim pub, it eventually closed in the early 2000s to make way for flats now known as Buskers Court.
Gloucester’s Crackers near the Station on Bruton Way was more than a nightclub; it was a lively events venue hosting live gigs, reggae nights, and even adult entertainment on Saturdays. You nostalgically recalled “gay nights on Mondays and Saturdays being pretty banging” and free entry rock, punk, and goth nights with complimentary drinks. One fond memory includes spotting a Kurt Cobain lookalike among the crowd. The site is now transformed into the impressive Forum project.
Tracy’s on Bruton Way flourished in the 1970s, remembered by one patron as “Gloucester’s first proper nightclub, managed by Pat Loughton and his massive dog.” Opening night champagne flowed freely as a cherished moment etched in memory.
The Strand, a laid-back ’90s venue on Cheltenham High Street, was where friendships were forged, and nights were spent dancing under lasers with resident DJ “Sheik Yerbuti.” It’s remembered for its “familiar friendly crowd, cans of Red Stripe, and sweat dripping from the low ceiling.” Today, it operates as a pub.
Finally, let’s raise a toast to beloved spots like Cheltenham’s Eves, Lorraine’s/Fez Club, and those unforgettable foam parties at The Maltings in Stroud, alongside favourites such as The Hub, Cafe Continental, Enigma, Arabella’s, Cinderella’s in Gloucester; and venues including Thirteen, Prom Club, George and Pilgrim, The Green Room, Spa Lounge, and X-S—all fondly remembered as essential parts of Gloucestershire’s vibrant nightlife history.