The long-lost nightclubs you'd love to revisit for just one more night

If you could turn back time and step into your favourite Gloucestershire nightclub once more, which one would it be? Picture the scenes where laughter with mates was abundant, the dance floor was never empty until the early hours, perhaps a few too many tipples were enjoyed, and for some, it was the place where future partners were met.

A handful of iconic spots have effortlessly climbed to the top of our most-missed list, with others receiving a well-deserved honourable mention. We've taken a nostalgic trip down memory lane to revisit your top picks and the memories they hold dear to you.

We'd love to hear your memories of nights out in Gloucestershire in years gone by? And we'd really love to see some old photographs if you're happy to share, you can contact us on our socials and at gloslivenews@reachplc.com

Subtone

For those who were part of the Cheltenham clubbing scene during the '90s and noughties, Subtone on The Promenade was likely a familiar haunt,.

This venue wasn't just a club; it featured a piano bar, cafe, and club spread across three floors, and according to you, served up some rather impressive cocktails. Originally starting as a specialist music venue, Subtone quickly became a cornerstone of the nightlife, hosting big British acts like Massive Attack and Chase and Status.

One reader shared their cherished recollection of "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, recalled their times there as "memorable. Very lucky to have been part of this distant gem."

Sadly, Subtone closed its doors for the final time on New Year's Eve 2016 after a two-decade run, and the building has since been repurposed.

KCs

The memory of gloriously sticky carpets, cheesy chips and cheesy tunes is still vivid for one former patron of KCs on Quay Street, Gloucester. This club was a city nightlife staple in the 1980s and '90s.

Located next to the Brewery pub and spread over two floors - with the latest music downstairs and older music upstairs - it was the scene of hundreds of first dances. Many of these romantic moments from 30 or 40 years ago blossomed into relationships that have stood the test of time.

According to your recollections, it was the ideal venue to hang out on the stairs, play pool or hit the dance floor. In 1998, a pint would cost you £1.

The premises, later known as Envy and Lansons, closed permanently in 2009. A few years later, police discovered an illegal cannabis farm in the abandoned building.

Blue Moon/Night Owl

Rewind to the Swinging Sixties, and the Blue Moon on Cheltenham High Street was the place to be for lovers of cutting-edge live music. As you remembered, it was the "coolest place", attracting acts that went on to achieve much greater fame, such as Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Mott The Hoople, Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart and The Who, to perform on its tiny corner stage.

The Four Tops played their very first UK show there.

In the early 1980s, it changed hands and became the Night Owl nightclub. The focus remained on excellent rock music, and it became a popular spot for bikers - "sticky floor, no toilet doors but a great place".

A vibrant haunt, known for its amiable atmosphere – a spot where friendships were forged and romantic partnerships blossomed. Over time, it evolved into a sanctuary for goth rock aficionados, without shedding an ounce of its appealing character.

A devotee remarked, "The best goth club in Cheltenham. Maybe it meant something - maybe not. No mix of words and music and memories can touch that sense of knowing that you were there and alive in that corner of time and the world."

Through the ages, the club underwent further transformations to Mistys and then The Attic, with its current incarnation as retail shops Monsoon and Accessorize.

Gas/Chemistry

An undisputed local darling during the '80s and '90s, Gas, which later transformed to Chemistry, attracted legions of partygoers from across the region. Not just a fast-paced dance haven, but also a stage for live bands and special nights featuring celebrities like BBC's Steve Wright and EastEnders star Paul Bradley (Nigel).

In its heyday, the mid-1990s, eager guests would queue extensively to enter the four-level venue located in St James's Square, facing St Gregory's Church. Nostalgic patrons recall: "First nightclub in Cheltenham I ever went to... Heaven and Hell... drinking Mad Dog 20/20...pound a pint nights."

Sadly, the establishment shuttered its doors in 2005

Time/Moda

This Cheltenham nightclub, known for its ever-changing names, was a popular party spot throughout the 1980s, '90s and noughties. Whether you knew it as Time, Moda or Charles, or perhaps V2, Lace or Buskers, this High Street and Albion Street corner building has seen it all.

The club, which also housed the George and Pilgrim pub, closed its doors in the early 2000s to make way for 14 flats named Buskers Court.

Crackers

Crackers, located near Gloucester Station on Bruton Way, is another long-lost gem that holds fond memories for many, despite being closed for quite some time. More than just a nightclub, this spacious venue, once nestled under a now-demolished NCP car park, hosted live gigs, reggae nights and even adult entertainment on Saturday afternoons.

You reminisced about the "Gay nights on Mondays and Saturdays were pretty banging in the day," gay nights on Mondays and Saturdays, the free entry rock, punk and goth nights with complimentary drinks, and one memorable encounter with a Kurt Cobain lookalike.

The site is now the stunning Forum project

Tracy's

Tracy's, also situated on Bruton Way, was at its prime in the 1970s. One of you nostalgically recalled it as "Gloucester's first proper night club, managed by Pat Loughton and his massive dog in the 1970s. Opening night with free champagne for all. Take your empty back to the bar to get a replacement - bliss!" managed by Pat Loughton and his large dog.

The opening night, complete with free champagne for all, remains a cherished memory.

Cafe Tabac

This was one of those laid-back 1990s venues on High Street, Cheltenham, where friendships were formed and nights were spent dancing under the lasers and projections with the resident DJ "Sheik Yerbuti". If you remember, it's the place with the "Familiar friendly crowd, cans of Red Stripe, top DJs sweat dripping from the low ceiling!" Today, it has been transformed into a pub known as The Strand.

Also, let's not forget to give a hearty shout-out to the beloved spots in Cheltenham such as Eves, Lorraine's/Fez Club; or recall the foam party memories at The Maltings, Stroud, The Hub, Cafe Continental, Enigma, along with Arabella's, Cinderella's in Gloucester; not to mention Thirteen; Prom Club; George and Pilgrim; The Green Room; Spa Lounge, and the ever-popular X-S.