Aberdeen’s Espionage nightclub being brought back to life as a pub games venue will mark another chapter in its topsy-turvy 20-year history.
Appropriately for its name, Arcade Bar and Games will offer more than 50 retro video games over two floors.
Competitive socialisation – or pub games for the layman – has enjoyed a boom in Aberdeen, and nationwide – in recent years.
Glory days of nightclubs in Aberdeen
Of course, nightclubs have been in decline for the past decade or so.
But that wasn’t always the case in times gone by and Aberdeen was famous for its vibrant nightlife with clubs to suit every taste and style of dress.
Espionage – situated on Union Street – was a favourite for students looking for a good night out alongside the likes of Tiger Tiger, The Priory and Liquid.
Here was a classic club of the noughties which provided floors of fun.
R&B and hip-hop would usually be found at the top of the nightclub while cheesier tunes on its first floor ensured there was always a party atmosphere.
The club was also conveniently located for the taxi rank and a 3am trip to McDonald’s!
The club opened 20 years ago and was named as one of Scotland’s most stylish bars in a guidebook which highlighted the cream of the country’s drinking spots in 2002.
So what happened?
After a successful first year, the challenge was to remain at the top of Aberdeen’s nightclub circuit which was always going to prove difficult given the competition.
For many years it remained a popular student stomping ground.
Typically, clubbing loses its appeal in our early 30s, but Espionage was popular with a wide range of ages on a Friday and Saturday night.
It played good music and people just wanted to dance.
Espionage remained a popular fixture on Union Street before going into administration in 2014 as a result of the general downturn in the nightclub market in recent years.
Blair Nimmo and Gary Fraser of KPMG LLP were appointed joint administrators at the request of the companies’ director although the business continued to trade.
A Glasgow nightclub tycoon bought Espionage 10 months after it was put into administration along with another late-night spot of the same name in Edinburgh.
Blair Nimmo, head of restructuring for KPMG in Scotland and joint administrator, said the buyout saved 45 jobs across both locations.
Mr King’s G1 Group owned a raft of bars, hotels, restaurants and nightclubs in the central belt, including several outlets in Glasgow’s Merchant City and on Ashton Lane in Glasgow, and Cabaret Voltaire in Edinburgh.
The multi-millionaire’s group also owned the Palm Court Hotel in Aberdeen’s west end.
So things were looking up for Espionage.
Revellers were still flocking there to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with complete strangers at a bar or dance the night away into the wee small hours.
When punters weren’t enjoying the diverse range of music on one of its two dance floors, they were probably lost inside the vast venue trying to find their pals.
Changing times for the building
The music stopped during the global pandemic and the venue closed.
Espionage is now the latest Aberdeen bar to embrace the “competitive socialisation” trend after the city licensing board approved a major change in its operation.
Speaking in August, solicitor Stephen McGowan said the major change to the former nightclub was aimed at bringing the vacant building back into use.
He told board members: “We are changing the licence to allow a new business to come in and operate the premises as, what they call these days, a competitive socialisation venue.
“Members will know that the premises have been closed for a while.
“It is good to see an application like this come forward to get the premises back open again under new management and a new direction.”
£1m investment on Union Street
Arcade Bar and Games will offer more than 50 retro video games over two floors inspired by “barcade” sites in the United States, which allow punters to defend Earth from aliens in Space Invaders as they enjoy their drinks.
Old favourites like Pacman and Mario Kart will also be available, while non-gamers can play pool, pinball, basketball or air hockey.
The people behind the overhaul, which has now begun after approval from the city’s licensing board, say it represents a £1 million investment on Union Street.
Around 30 full and part-time jobs will also be created as a result, they said.
Clubbers who remember the glory days of Espionage will certainly drink to that!
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