Grant Leslie is no stranger to Aberdeen’s nightlife scene.
He’s been putting on events in the Granite City for more than a decade at this point, and runs the show at the ever-popular Prohibition on Langstane Place.
So when the opportunity arose to bring The Priory back to life on Belmont Street, the Dundee-born DJ and promoter grabbed the chance to take the helm.
After three years of the historic former church lying empty behind lock and key, the club is now soon to open its doors once again.
Looking up at the towering spires on Belmont Street, Grant smiles and says: “There’s not many clubs left in Aberdeen that can say they’ve got a history like here.”
And the club boss is now looking to write his own chapter in the A-listed venue’s history book.
I met up with Grant as his team were putting the finishing touches on The Priory, and heard all about his enterprising ambitions, including:
- How he went from DJing under 18s nights to running some of Aberdeen’s most popular venues
- What attracted him to taking the gamble on The Priory
- His plans to reinvent one of Aberdeen’s most famous clubs
- And how he hopes the nightlife hotspot can be brought back to its glory days
From handing out flyers to running his own clubs
It’s a sunny afternoon when Grant greets me at the doors of the venue with a firm handshake, and we head in to the former nave.
One thing that is clear from the get-go – it’s all hands on deck as the team get ready to welcome punters back through the doors.
Amongst the lights being strung and glasses being stocked away, we find a quiet booth where I learn how Grant got his start in the industry.
The 38-year-old begins: “Many moons ago I had a friend in Dundee who was a DJ, so I started DJing places in Dundee like Mardi Gras and Fat Sams.
“Then I took up interest in the marketing and PR side of it, handing out flyers and different things like that.
“I started doing my own events with friends then ran a couple of venues in Dundee before some good opportunities in Aberdeen to play the likes of Tiger Tiger, Garage, Pearl lounge.
“From there I found my passion for actually running venues and ever since then it’s just been a continuous stream of good times and fun venues.”
How horror storm threw a spanner into the works
This isn’t Grant’s first rodeo when it comes to being at the helm of Priory.
“We had Priory open just after Covid, and we had the outside part as The Garden at Belmont,” the club boss remembers.
“That did very well and lots of people spoke about fond memories at the Priory, so we thought ‘brilliant, let’s do the refurbishment then’.”
But it was no easy task – as plans went awry after one of the most vicious storms the north-east had seen for decades.
Two years ago, gale force gusts from Storm Arwen blasted heavy pieces of masonry from the top of the historic church.
After eight months of repairs to make sure the A-listed landmark was back to its former glory – Grant kicked the refurbishment up a gear.
“We closed three years ago this week I think, and then after a couple months of hard work we should have it open again,” he smiles.
“It’s a beautiful venue, it’s a nice setting, it’s a bit more chilled out and it will certainly come alive at night.”
What will The Priory look like after major facelift?
For those who remember The Priory for sticky floors, flaming cocktails and loud dance music – you may be in for a slight shock at what Grant has up his sleeve this time around.
Revealing what’s in store for the venue, the 38-year-old leans in: “It’s a different concept this time. It’s not just a nightclub.
“It will be more of a bar with entertainment. Live music and tribute acts, stuff like that.
“The trend now is that nightclubs aren’t necessarily as big as they used to be.
“More people just want to go for drinks and some good entertainment.
“Nightclubs still have their place. I love nightclubs, they’re my first passion, but we’ve all got to move with the times and see what else we can do.”
And it’s this plan to move with the times which Grant hopes can bring Belmont Street back to its former glory…
Historic pedigree can help The Priory
As we head outside, one curious former punter spots us and asks us about the plans for The Priory.
“I’ve had some great memories there… but they’re not clear memories!” He chuckles.
And it’s this sentiment that makes Grant confident of his new venture being a success.
The club boss adds: “Like the guy outside, he had fond memories of it, a lot of people have good memories from Priory since it opened in 2001.
“It’s got a lot of history and there’s not many nightclubs left in Aberdeen that can say they’ve got a history that long, and that they’re still here.”
Can The Priory bring the buzz back to Belmont Street?
Belmont Street has always been known as the heart of Aberdeen’s nightlife scene.
But as seen across the country, nightclub attendances are down – with revellers not as willing to spend the same amount as they were 10 years ago.
But Grant is looking to change that.
Do you have fond, if hazy, memories of The Priory? Let us know in our comments section below
“If everyone on Belmont Street does the stuff that they’re doing, it will bring a lot more people here. If we’re busy, everyone’s busy,” he tells me.
“Belmont Street is busy, but it’s not like what it used to be when you could walk down the street and not see anything but people.
“There’s a lot going on in Aberdeen, it’s becoming a hotspot again.
“We all need to work together. If I’ve got something that can benefit Triple Kirks or Revolution, then we can all work together, because I think that’s been lost over the years.”
And with Grant still ironing out the final details for the opening events at the newly refurbished club, his dream of Belmont Street being brought back to its former bustling self could soon become a reality.
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