Features / SouthBank Club
SouthBank Club at 10: A labour of love
A mixture of Moroccan tiles embellish the fountain outside, copies of paintings by obscure Spanish artists adorn the walls, and flowers sit in a pair of old wellies serving as ornaments. The decoration of the SouthBank Club on Dean Lane exemplifies just how much the club represents an eclectic mashup of tastes; a bohemian paradise without any inkling of pretention.
Soon to celebrate its tenth anniversary, the project has grown organically and is a far cry from the days when its founder Jess Newton was having to club together money and work 16-hour days, six days a week, to keep the place afloat. Though the journey from dilapidated old building to an authentic cornerstone of the community has not been easy, the rewards are evident.
“This place grew out of what I used to do previously, which was running dance classes and the Bristol Dance Festival from 2002-2007,” Jess says when we meet at the SouthBank Club one rainy afternoon. “It was all a little bit hand-to-mouth, as each project had to be funded individually, so we’d spend a lot of time searching for funds, setting up an event and then would have to start all over again the next year.
is needed now More than ever
“I wanted somewhere where we could have a bit more continuity, and maintain an arts, music and dance focus. We were lucky with this building – it had potential. I was then left with the challenge of raising a large amount of money in a short space of time, which were lucky enough to be able to do by bullying friends and family and bank loans and credit cards, and eventually managed to seal the deal.
Former dance teacher Jess shows off his moves in one of the studios
“There was a huge amount of structural work to do at first, which we did with the help of lots of volunteers – changing the layout and décor, re-roofing it, installing sound systems, lighting systems, stages, and new bars,” Jess continues. “It has become quite a labour of love over the last 10 years, really.”
In the ten years since then, SouthBank has evolved into a community space used by all. A combination of dance studios, event spaces, cinema and a garden inspired by Jess’ travels in North African and the Mediterranean, SouthBank has found itself a client of the Bristol Old Vic and the Young Liberal Democrats, who held their 2016 national conference in the downstairs bar. Even Neil Kinnock has been a guest, popping in for a pint at the bar. Salsa, tango and jive classes are held on an alternating-weekly basis, whilst gigs for upcoming musicians are a regular treat.
The colourful decorations in the main room of the club
There is no doubt that Jess is impressed by the transformation that the club has undergone. “Although the original vision for the club was more focused on the arts, underpinning all of that was the idea that people benefit enormously, both physically and socially, from participation in some artistic movement,” he says. “There was always the sense that a community would grow out of it.
“I think people appreciate it because it is a mixture of a community space and an arts space, and it is quite friendly and accessible. People use it not only for events and activities and clubs and classes, but also for significant events in their lives, like christenings and weddings. It has become a significant space for the local community.”
It is, therefore, no surprise that Jess is marking SouthBank’s anniversary with a huge party, open to all of the community: a mixture of live music, dance performances from the troupes who practise in the upstairs studios, and, if Bristol’s temperamental weather permits, a barbeque in the newly-landscaped garden. Further events are planned throughout the anniversary year, with a cider festival and live music events being thrown around as options.
As for the next ten years? Considering the building’s phenomenal success, everything points to it being onwards and upwards for SouthBank. “We’d very much like to keep going for the next decade. We have plans to develop the roof space, which could be put to a whole variety of uses – from studios to more workshops – and then have more a consistent program of events throughout the year,” Jess says.
“Certainly a plan for the next ten years would be to open the SouthBank Club up much more to the public on a daily basis, with a food element to go alongside the events. I’d like it to be somewhere people can come and have a meal and then go to a dance event: quite a Mediterranean concept.”
The SouthBank Club’s Mediterranean-inspired garden
But as for the overall plan? “We want to do much more the same,” Jess says with a smile. Considering how well it has all-worked out, it’s not hard to see why.
SouthBank Club‘s tenth anniversary party will be held on September 16 2017 at SouthBank Club, Dean Lane, BS3 1DB.
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