Shock as iconic Yorkshire nightclub closes - owners say 'being upset doesn't come close'
A cultural icon in Hull, the much loved Spiders nightclub, is being put up for sale after its owners called time after nearly five decades.
In a social media post, they said they had shut “due to personal and external situations” after 46 years of running a venue, lauded as the “heart of the city’s alternative community”
The club is “financially sound and doing well” however “now, is the right time to hopefully pass it on to others, who will carry it forward with the same enthusiasm, idealism and integrity, that we started so many years ago”.
They added: “We appreciate that many of you will be upset by the club closing, but please remember, as the saying goes, time and tide wait for no man or woman, and for us, being upset, doesn't even come close.”
Leader of Hull city council Mike Ross said he’d already been approached by people who wanted to explore a community-led model.
People have expressed hope the venue can be saved in a similar way to the city’s Polar Bear pub and music venue, which now operates as a not-for-profit community interest company, after going under in the pandemic.
Councillor Ross said: “I know just how much Spiders means to so many people both here in Hull and further afield.
"It would be tragic to see this venue closed forever and we have seen with the response following the announcement from the current owners just how strongly people feel about the place.
"I was encouraged that having commented on the news I was quickly contacted by people who want to find a way to see a community-led ownership model come forward for Spiders.
"If this is something you would be keen to be involved with, I would love to hear from you."
The announcement provoked an outpouring of memories on social media, with former and current clubbers waxing lyrical about the venue “a hub for the alternative/goth/indie crowd”.
It was “a place where people felt accepted, welcome and always affordable”
David Prescott, who DJed there in the 80s and said nothing in his life had ever matched “looking down to see a full dance floor of young, happy people sharing the joy of dancing together fuelled on gin slings and tarantulas”.
Many thanked the owners for making wonderful memories and creating “a space where everyone could be unapologetically themselves”.