As myself and thousands of clubbers sat down for their tea on Monday 18th June2007, a tragedy was unfolding in the city of Sheffield. The lion that has lit up the dance floor week after week with such names as Judge Jules, Marco V, Mauro Picotto and recently Paul Van Dyk was alight, Gatecrasher One, the spiritual home of trance music, was on fire.

Fortunately the club was not open to the public at the time and only several members of staff were inside. The club was immediately evacuated, as per the fire procedures and no-one was injured or hurt. It is with sadness that we inform you that the building collapsed a few hours later.

The fire service was called immediately the fire was found and arrived on the scene within minutes. At this time we have no confirmation as to the cause of the fire and we are working with fire investigation officers to determine how it started.

 Simon Raine, Managing Director of Gatecrasher, said: “True to our own motto of “Never Stand Still” we will be moving forward to scope out how we put on our planned club nights in Sheffield during the summer. We will be looking to continue all CRASHER and Hed Kandi nights planned in Sheffield during Summer 2007 at a venue to be confirmed"

“We will also be looking at how we rebuild the Gatecrasher One club, one of the cornerstones of the UK nightclub scene and our spiritual home, as quickly as possible. We want everyone to remember all those memorable nights at Gatecrasher One from down the years, safe in the knowledge that it will be back…bigger, brighter, louder and more brash – it will always be with you.”

Gatecrasher’s 14th birthday celebrations in September will also be going ahead at a venue to be confirmed. Rumoured for the lineup is a return of Paul van Dyk, the DJ lucky enough to play the last set as Gatecrasher as we knew it, on May Bank Holiday. Skiddle was lucky enough to be at this event, and it will stay in our hearts and minds forever. Other Gatecrasher venues in Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham and Watford are not affected by the fire in Sheffield.

Many will not understand a clubbers connection to the club, it was merely a building after all. But too many, it was the birthplace of dreams, ambitions and a place to lose all inhabitions, a place to escape from the weeks work and to meet friends that only existed inside Gatecrasher. A place to love, to call home. We will always be with you.

Further announcements on the rebuild of Gatecrasher One will be made in due course.

 

This was a very sad day for clubbers across the country and the world Gatecrasher was unique and once inside it helped to put the pressures of a working week behind you.

 I personally have had some amazing nights in Crasher and its a weird feeling knowing that it has now gone. Editor.

Checkout our photo gallery of Gatecrasher.

Crasher Feb

Crasher March

Gatecrasher Summer Sound System Leeds