City comedy club to close (From Daily Echo)
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Southampton Jongleurs to close
12:06pm Wednesday 21st October 2009 in News
Southampton's Bar Risa and Jongleurs
JONGLEURS Comedy Club in Southampton is to close - despite a rescue package for the parent company, it has been revealed.
Regent Inns went into administration but chief executive John Leslie put a deal in place to rescue the firm.
However as part of the deal, the nine 'worst performing' of Regents' sites - of which Southampton's Jongleurs is one - are to close.
Regent Inns also ran the Walkabout Australian theme bar chain, although the Southampton venue in High Street closed earlier this year to be replaced by Wahoo.
Regent has been struggling from tough trading amid the recession, earlier this year reporting pre-tax losses of £2.3 million for the 26 weeks to December 27 after a subdued Christmas party season increased pressure on its Jongleurs comedy clubs.
The firm is reported to have had an £80m mountain of debt when it went into administration.
Shay Bannon, business restructuring partner at administrators BDO, said: ''A reduction in the level of disposable income as a result of the current economic climate has played a role in the group's difficulties along with a significant number of loss-making venues.''
Besides the Southampton Jongleurs, BDO is to close four Jongleurs clubs in Bow, Bristol, Nottingham and Oxford, three Walkabout sites in Bradford, Lancaster and Shaftesbury Avenue, London, as well as a Quincey's in Bristol.
Comments(26)
stmarysmush
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12:28pm Wed 21 Oct 09
Swalk
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12:55pm Wed 21 Oct 09
teh
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12:59pm Wed 21 Oct 09
Cyber-Fug
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1:01pm Wed 21 Oct 09
Paramjit Bahia
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1:01pm Wed 21 Oct 09
stmarysmush
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1:03pm Wed 21 Oct 09
.......
Saintlygirl
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1:59pm Wed 21 Oct 09
freemantlegirl2
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2:04pm Wed 21 Oct 09
Paramjit Bahia wrote:LOL, you beat me to it! at least they'll be a bridge over the Bargate to make us all forget the recession ;)
Another reason for its demise could be the real life comedy called Southampton City Council. From top to bottom it is almost full of comedians clowns and jokers!
StEmmosfire
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2:23pm Wed 21 Oct 09
stmarysmush wrote:or an ice-rink?
Perhaps it could be used as a Titanic museum .................... .......
eaststreet
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2:31pm Wed 21 Oct 09
Swalk
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2:35pm Wed 21 Oct 09
stmarysmush wrote:The Bargate Centre would make a better heritage centre than the one they've got planned at the Civic Centre, the location is ideal and (let's face it) there's rather a lot of space in there at the moment. Come to think of it, there are so many empty shops you could probably fit the Titanic in the mall if they ever managed to raise it
Perhaps it could be used as a Titanic museum ....................
.......
Andy Locks Heath
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2:39pm Wed 21 Oct 09
Paramjit Bahia wrote:I hope the City Council are funnier than the comedians at Jongleurs.
Another reason for its demise could be the real life comedy called Southampton City Council. From top to bottom it is almost full of comedians clowns and jokers!
Theblackcat
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2:46pm Wed 21 Oct 09
allsaintsnocurves
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2:52pm Wed 21 Oct 09
teh
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4:11pm Wed 21 Oct 09
Unlimited* Service
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4:32pm Wed 21 Oct 09
Swalk wrote:Isn't shakeaway moving to The Mall?
is there anything left in the Bargate Centre now apart from the milkshake shop?
My View from the Hill
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4:40pm Wed 21 Oct 09
Unlimited* Service wrote:Yes, there is that stupid games arcade, but for how long, now watch, someone a Capitia will tell the councillors, the Bargate Centre will make excellent office's or luxury apartments, just you wait and see.
Swalk wrote:Isn't shakeaway moving to The Mall?
is there anything left in the Bargate Centre now apart from the milkshake shop?
door supervisor
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5:33pm Wed 21 Oct 09
Condor Man
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6:17pm Wed 21 Oct 09
The Talking Heads was much better.
Cyber-Fug
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7:23pm Wed 21 Oct 09
door supervisor wrote:either back to Eastleigh or Pompey
where are we gonna send all the dick heads now
freemantlegirl2
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7:23pm Wed 21 Oct 09
door supervisor wrote:Well sounds like you could make some recommendations under that category!
where are we gonna send all the dick heads now
B. L.
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9:31pm Wed 21 Oct 09
Cyber-Fug wrote:Southy sycophant. :o)
all this started in the 80's when Maggie T attacked the unions.....
King Mush
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10:00pm Wed 21 Oct 09
Cyber-Fug wrote:Yeah - then the right on brigade led by Ben Elton had a political foil to milk for what it was worth. Really ant-establishment wasnt he?
all this started in the 80's when Maggie T attacked the unions.....
A few years down the line he was 'compering' the Royal Variety Show which he and sycophants often ridiculed.
Then popped up at the Palace - the Queen's pop concert in the back garden.
Another brown-nosing two faced hypocritical champagne socialist and joined by a few more turncoats over the years.
Anyway - Jongleurs and the like are often bearpits for some comics anyway plus the Gong Show elements at some of these venues.
King Mush
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12:55am Thu 22 Oct 09
Worth repeating
WoolstonSean
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5:38am Thu 22 Oct 09
Theblackcat wrote:When was the last time you were in the West Quay shopping centre?
All the good shops and bars are going under. Fopp, Woolies,Gadget Shop Zavvi,USC and now Jongleurs soon all that will be left in Soton will be Wetherspoons, Tesco's and 200 Subways.
USC is open as usual, the shop only closed for a short while under administration and is not closed!!
You obviously don't shop there then!
My View from the Hill says...
12:26pm Wed 21 Oct 09