colsmith50 2 Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Hi I was wondering if anyone had any information/memories they could share on the now closed ISIS nightclub on Lenton Industrial Estate (opposite the Showcase Cinema?) in particular whether anyone knows if the interior is still accessible? I very much doubt it but I'd really like to get inside for a video project I'm producing about Nottingham clubs. Anything at all would be greatly appreciated, can't seem to find much info on the Internet so far. Thanks colsmith50 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,029 Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Welcome Colsmith... You do of course mean 'The Black Orchid'? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,029 Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 I have deleted your other 2 duplicate topics in other areas, Please only post one thread per topic. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
colsmith50 2 Posted October 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Sorry 'bout that, will keep it to one post in the future! Yes, I've heard it being associated with the name Black Orchid, was it called that before or after ISIS? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 304 Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 It was the Black Orchid from it's opening pre 1990 A little bloke called Ian was the manager, Linky Wilson was head bouncer. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,008 Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Never went there at any time, but it was definitely called Isis at some time during its life. If beefsteak says it was Black Orchid from its opening, then it must've been Isis in its later years. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
hippo girl 1,995 Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Black Orchid, Isis, Mirage...... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
colly0410 1,180 Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 I did one shift as a security guard there in 1999 (think it was called Isis then) it was bedlam, asked then not to send me again.. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
colsmith50 2 Posted October 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Yeah, I've heard it was pretty rough.... I read about some people who held a 'squat party' there back in March this year (link: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/5492) but nothing since... some really interesting pictures in the article of the state they found the venue in 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJBrenton 738 Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 When the Black Orchid first opened, the manager was Mike Hilkene. He left First Leisure for a time and Ian'Bomber' Harris took over. In the mid-90's Ian was transferred whilst Mike Hilkene returned as area manager and Pete Walsh took over at the Orchid. When the club closed to refurb as Isis, Ian Harris was back as Pete Walsh had moved down to North Acton then Uxbridge. Unfortunately, one of the first things Ian did was to lose Sue Brailsford whose little black book used to bring all the 'movers and shakers' into the club and she moved to the newly opening Faces in the Lace market, taking many of the Orchid VIPish regulars with her. This coincided with the Baltimore Diner being refurbed so lots of the people who used that as a staging post to the Orchid stayed in town and never went back when Isis opened. The club never regained it's former status as a destination venue, and the days of numerous coaches coming from all over the place never returned. This came at a bad time for First Leisure as they had spent a fortune trying to replicate the out-of-town success of the Orchid in places like Leeds where Club Barcelona was never anything but a drain on their resources. They also opened the Works believing it wouldn't impact on Isis somehow. They were wrong and then lost the license for the Works to add insult to injury. If anyone knew Mike Hilkene, he died a couple of years ago from cancer whilst working as area manager for David Lloyd's. The last information I had about ownership of the building may be wrong or out of date but a guy who owned a local radio station in Peterborough bought one of First Leisure's Peterborough clubs and later told me he planned to buy Isis with the intention of turning it into a lap dancing club but this didn't happen at the time so I'm not sure if he kept it, didn't end up buying it or what. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,029 Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 THIS REPLY WILL DISAPPEAR WITH CHANGEOVER OF HOSTING. PLEASE RETAIN THE TEXT FOR REPOST. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 304 Posted October 8, 2013 Report Share Posted October 8, 2013 Sue was a mate of mine , and got me and Mick out of there one night , on a trip to Gryfydam Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,029 Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 Yes, I see Beefsteak and I were 'Movers and Shakers' Unfortunately, one of the first things Ian did was to lose Sue Brailsford whose little black book used to bring all the 'movers and shakers' into the club Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,008 Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 A friend of mine who went there a couple of times described it as the human equivalent of a cattle market in a big shed. The boys/youths had the role of the farmers - they stood around the edge looking at what was available and trying to decide what was worth having........and the girls played the role of the cattle by being herded around in the middle, waiting to see if they attracted any attention. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 304 Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 You obviously frequented the Nottingham night club scene as often as I went to the Salvation army if you think that is out of the ordinary! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Cliff Ton 10,008 Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 I think it was the sheer scale of Isis/Orchid which made it stand out a bit Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,029 Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 Palais, Isabella's, Ariba etc. seemed to be the same Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisB 150 Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 Wasn't it a flawed concept, putting a large nightclub in an out of town industrial estate? There was something I was thinking of going to at Isis once but when I saw how difficult it was to get there (and get back) I quickly went off the idea! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 304 Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 I used to go there regularly and never really had problems getting to or from it, there were hundreds of taxis in and out of the place all the time! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mick2me 3,029 Posted October 9, 2013 Report Share Posted October 9, 2013 I remember sitting on a Free bus that set off from the market square outside Debenhams at about 11pm? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 304 Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 I'd forgotten about that ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
DJBrenton 738 Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 I worked in the upstairs room of The Bell a few weeks ago and was looking out of the window towards Yates's. It was noticeable that there were no promo girls outside giving away tickets for the bus to Isis. There used to be quite a crowd around there at one time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Beefsteak 304 Posted October 10, 2013 Report Share Posted October 10, 2013 In the days when I worked for the RAC, (Earning 'silly money') Me and a mate called Dave used to go there regularly. The 'round' used to be two pints of Bitter and a bottle of Moet! absolutely crackers!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Toffeespice 0 Posted November 21, 2013 Report Share Posted November 21, 2013 I worked at Black Orchid in the early 90s in the cloakroom and then a little glass collecting... mixed memories for me... also Hitman And Her was here and I was on it twice... KWS' hit Please Don't Go video was filmed there... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Michael Booth 7,364 Posted November 21, 2013 Report Share Posted November 21, 2013 Welcome to Nottstalgia, Toffeespice. I look forward to reading your posts and sharing your memories. I used to enjoy watching The Hitman And Her with Pete Waterman and Michaela Strachan. She was always a bundle of fun and the right partner for Waterman. Jason Orange was a regular dancer on the programme before he joined Take That. If only you'd known then who you was rubbing shoulders with on the dancefloor...lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.