The plans for a redevelopment of Junction Bar and Buffers (the back room) in Solus will see a series of changes for our nightclub, which seems to have remained the same for years.
While the changes look promising, however, it is important to point out that this renovation should not be interpreted as a comprehensive revamp of Solus the nightclub. The plans are instead aimed at finding a new way of using space that is wasted during the daytime.
The whole area of Solus occupies a great deal of space that is largely unused during the day. A chameleon bar, which functions as a cafe and social space during the day and an extension of the club at night, therefore seems like the perfect solution.
The chameleon bar will also join with CF10 via a new staircase, linking two cafe areas and, potentially, offering a new dimension to the Solus clubbing experience.
Despite all of these positive factors, however, there remain a few issues raised by the plans that have not, as yet, been resolved. Much of Solus’s popularity rests upon the fact that it offers two or three different types of music – the main room, DJs by the Junction bar, and live music in Buffers. Whether or not the area will still be able to host bands and/or DJs is unclear, although it seems reasonable to assume that the seating could be removed for this.
Solus itself, meanwhile, is still in dire need of a good spruce up, not only for the sake of cosmetic improvement, but to ensure its survival.
The demise of Rubber Duck has been the most crippling blow dealt to Solus in recent years, and many have blamed the loss of students to the city on the rise of multimillion-pound nightclubs such as Oceana. It is a sad fact that Solus cannot compete with the sheer financial muscle of these hi-gloss corporate chains.
Solus can, however, offer an experience that is authentically and exclusively student orientated and that consistently offers a lively, vibrant atmosphere, easily sidestepping the sterility of McClubbing.
By playing to our strengths, and capitalising on Solus’s student identity, there’s no reason why the club shouldn’t remain successful. But a makeover, a proper makeover, wouldn’t go amiss either…
Correction
Last week’s interview with Conservative Future was incorrectly attributed to Craig Duncan.
