The spiritual home that began the whole brand that we know as Gatecrasher may be coming with the announcement they are planning to build a new venue in the heart of Sheffield...

The clubbing brand that we all know as Gatecrasher has announced plans to rebuild the venue that put them on the clubbing map. For years the city of Sheffield, formerly a steel works empire, was home to one of the biggest clubs in the UK. The early days of Gatecrasher were all started at Sheffield with the success of the club back then being responsible for the huge success they are today. The trance scene was one that found a spiritual home back in the 1999 explosion of a sound that had been hidden under the floorboards for a few years before. Gatecrahser brought the biggest DJ’s to the club each and every week and helped thrust forward the careers of Paul van Dyk, Judge Jules and Mauro Picotto who use to be regular faces at the club.

It was back in 2007 that the club that started it all sadly burnt to the ground with a horrific fire tearing through the venue and leaving it in ashes. It was then that the Gatecrasher love story was over with Sheffield and came to it an end of an era. The club would be lost forever……but would it? I the past week Gatecrasher have announced that they are planning to build a brand new five million pounds hyper club within a stones throw from the original Arundel Street site. It’s great news for the clubbers who used to populate the venue week in week out and fellow dance enthusiast alike around the Sheffield area.

The full press release is right below and they are looking for your hand in a petition to go along with their application to the local council for their plans to build this new clubbing Mecca.

Sheffield’s iconic clubbing institution is set to make a historic return to the city this year. Three years since world-celebrated Sheffield nightclub Gatecrasher burned to the ground, owners have revealed firm plans to develop a new flagship venue in the city which they hope to open on their 17th Birthday this September.

Plans have been submitted to Sheffield City Council to create the ultimate 30,000 square foot , 2000 capacity hyper-club in the heart of the city, just a few yards from the original Arundel Street site. Subject to planning permission, Gatecrasher intends to invest £5 million developing the basement of the infamous cheese grater car park (Q-Park) on Charles Street creating over 200 city jobs. The site has been chosen because it means that Gatecrasher can open the club in 2010, originally bosses intended to open on the old Arundel Street site but that would mean an extensive and time consuming rebuild.

Gatecrasher is urging the city to get behind them and ‘Vote Yes’ for the new club and have created an online petition for messages of support for the new venue which they intend to submit to the council to back-up their planning proposals.

Gatecrasher bosses hope to build a state-of the art venue like no other in the UK and intends to enlist the skills of celebrated international designer Callin Fortis from New York based Big Time design. Fortis is responsible for the award winning designs of the world’s most famous clubs including Crobar New York, Crobar Chicago, and the Cameo Theater in Miami. Fortis also designed Gatecrasher’s Birmingham club voted top UK club by dance music bible Mixmag. His clubs are revered the world over with fans including Paris Hilton, Harrison Ford, Lenny Kravitz, Cameron Diaz, George Clooney and Tommy Hilfiger. A Phase 1 drawing has been submitted details the layout of the venue which will include 4 different club rooms and a main auditorium designed for both DJs and live music. Fortis and his team at Big Team Design are currently progressing the finer details.

The loss of Gatecrasher in Sheffield sent shock-waves throughout clubland, no-one was hurt but dance music fans worldwide mourned the loss of a clubbing institution. Following the fire the club received over 5000 emails and letters of support. Club bosses vowed to return to their spiritual home as soon as possible and have spent the last three years trying to find a suitable location. An application for planning permission has been lodged with council and Gatecrasher is urging the city to get behind their plans.

Simon Raine, MD of Gatecrasher, commented;
“Gatecrasher hopes to rise like a phoenix from the ashes. We were devastated at the loss of the Sheffield club in 2007 and have been searching tirelessly for a location so we can return to our spiritual Sheffield home. What’s been heartening is all the support we’ve had from the city, we get emails daily asking us when we are returning to Sheffield and now it is finally a reality, although there is still a long way to go.”

Since Gatecrasher launched in Sheffield in the mid-90s, it has played a significant role in the development of the city and has been previously been praised by council officials for its impact on the economy and tourism. The clubs contribution to Sheffield’s thriving nightlife and entertainment scene firmly placed the city on the International map creating major interest and inward investment. The impact the club has had on the city is staggering with over 8 million people attending Gatecrasher in Sheffield in over 10
years. A survey carried out in 2001 also found Gatecrasher to be the number one reason that students decided to study in Sheffield.

During Gatecrasher’s reign in the city, the club played host to the most spectacular club nights which are now immortalised in clubbing history. The club kick started a dance revolution and helped forge the careers of DJs including Judge Jules, Tiesto, Mauro Picotto and Armin Van Buuren.

From humble beginnings to a world-conquering global club brand, Gatecrasher has continued to push boundaries and dominate dance music. It’s reputation as a flamboyant, individual and hedonistic brand continues to grow and the Gatecrasher name remains emblazoned in the heart and soul of clubbers throughout the world. The Gatecrasher lion has always sat proudly at the forefront of clubland, responsible for many of Sheffield’s never-to- be- forgotten events.

With the launch of the new club hopes to define a new decade of clubbing . Simon Raine added;

“The new site will exceed all expectations bolder, bigger and a lot more edgier than before. We want to build the best nightclub in the world that has always been our aim!.”

Gatecrasher is looking to engage the city of Sheffield in the quest to launch its new club and is looking for suggestions and support from city dwellers. They also intend to work closely with residents, local police and Sheffield City Council, Simon added;

“Having worked as part of the community in Sheffield for over a decade, we are more than aware we need to work in close partnership with the residents, the local authority and police to address any potential issues before they arise. We are currently in close consultation with the relevant authorities to ensure that our policies around noise, anti-social behaviour and dispersal satisfy each party.”

SOURCE: Press Release