In the 1990s, central London was home to some of Britain’s most iconic nightclubs, where the rave and dance music scenes exploded into life. These warehouses were hot, crowded and pulsating with energy, with walls vibrating to the beat and an ever-present haze of cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy.
But the real focus was on the music and the sense of community, as a generation of Londoners came together to have the time of their lives and create a subculture that would be immortalized in the 1999 cult film Human Traffic. While some of these legendary clubs, such as the Ministry of Sound and Fabric, have endured despite threats from developers and council closures, many others have fallen by the wayside, been closed down, converted into flats or demolished.
One of the most iconic victims was Bagleys in King’s Cross, a huge venue set up in a former warehouse that was so loved it still has its own Facebook page, ‘Bagleys nightclub ravers group’. Taking its name from a Yorkshire glass bottle maker who once occupied the warehouse, the club grew to host epic five-room dance parties such as Mud Club, Freedom, Pushca and World Dance, where the latest 90s sounds pulsed through the air .
The club emerged in the early 90s, when the rave scene shifted from outdoor events to indoor arenas. Jack, who was just 16 when he started going to the club – technically a minor – remembers the wild nights.
He and his friends would discover events through record store flyers or pirate radio announcements, long before the social media era. He said: “It was a crime-ridden area – drug-ridden and full of prostitution. It was like walking towards an old warehouse, it was very industrial.”
Recalling the good old days, Jack said: “We’d use fake NUS cards to get in and it worked! In the early days when we were young we’d get there between 10 and 11 p.m. and you wouldn’t even have When you look back it was ridiculously early, you could hear the bass from the music coming from the building and then you went into the basement and got security checked.
He continued with a laugh, “Then you’d go up the main stairs to room one which was mainly Jungle and Drum ‘n’ Bass. It was boiling hot in there – unbelievably hot – there was no air conditioning or anything – sweat would literally drip from the ceiling It was always an ice pop man who would come and feed you 1 pound popsicles,” adding, “It was a great patio where the balcony was and there was a trick where you could get from one room to another by walking over the balcony were great times.
However, when asked if it was a suitable place to “meet girls”, Jack replied in the negative, claiming that the venue was “full of guys” in the early years. The bars would close at 2am, but the peak of the rave occurred between 2am and 4am.
“There wasn’t much of a drinking culture, but there was plenty of weed available if you wanted it,” he adds. “It became more of a dope vibe in the 2000s. The garage crowd wasn’t a dope culture. They were mostly about designer clothes and brands and looking cool.”
He continued: “In the early days it was a very London-centric crowd, very mixed in terms of race and culture. I remember one night when rumors circulated that a girl with a large amount of drugs was being chased by the bouncers and it ended up being they jumped from the balcony on the first floor.There were often random fights.
Many rave nostalgia groups on social media are filled with comments from individuals who would love to travel back in time to experience one last thrilling night.
For example, Daniel, a former clubber, writes: “I miss this. Remember, I’d probably need oxygen and a ventilator to get through a night now! Just need that time machine…” Lea remembers one particular memorable night, with obvious pleasure: “I have a scar on my shin where I fell into an exposed manhole walking down from the parking lot. A doorman saw my leg and took me in and cleaned it up, then they gave me my money back, then I was taken care of until 7am! Best night ever, I’m 42 now and still have the scar.
Meanwhile, not everyone’s experience was positive, with one Facebook user recalling less fond memories due to the behavior of some sketchy clubbers: “22 years ago they used to drug me and then snort a lot in front of me. At least never kicked me out!” To further add to the historical tapestry, Jack noticed a shift in the crowd towards the early 2000s, describing it as a “white suburban” demographic that began to frequent the venue, hailing from counties outside of London, but it wasn’t just about raves ; David Swindells, former Tiemout Nigtclub editor, reflects on the wide range of events that colored Bagley’s varied 25-year history.
He recalls: “Bagley’s had hosted 25 years of naughty-but-nice nightlife – illegal warehouse parties, gay superclubs, fetish nights, roller discos, groundbreaking fashion shows (such as Alexander McQueen’s spring 1995 collection, ‘The Birds’), underground techno, UK Garage raves and secret bashes for the likes of Prince, Massive Attack, Depeche Mode and the Rolling Stones, not to mention being part of TDK Festival weekends in the mid-nineties with Grace Jones and Goldfrapp on stage.”
When the party ended, the venue closed its doors for the last time on New Year’s Eve 2007-8 with a bash that went down in history. It was later known as Canvas after Bagleys closed but has now given way to retail space at Coal Drops Yard.
Reflecting on the transformation, Jack says, “I really like it, it’s been very tastefully done,” appreciating the preservation of the old buildings that they hadn’t realized were so dilapidated back in the day. He believes it is an example of gentrification done right.
But opinion among the old Bagley crowd is divided. A former club member laments the Bagleys’ group: “Everything cool has turned into a playground for the rich, hasn’t it?” While another adds with a hint of bitterness: “A cool place to shop? Well, that makes it okay then. No more life-affirming, in-love, magical moments, no more random conversations at !”
Jack reflects on the impact of the local dance music scene, which originally pulsated within the walls of Bagley, and which now resonates on a global scale. “There are still a lot of great venues (Drumsheds, Brixton Academy, The Fridge) and it’s moved into festivals. It feels a bit like the core of it has moved to other cities like Bristol and Birmingham as well, but the US is looking now to the UK for the latest trends.”
He remembers how DJs like Stevie Hyper D, Skibadee, Nicky Blackmarket, Ariel, Judge Jules and DJ Zinc got their start at Bagleys and have since gone on to great careers.
London’s contribution of genres such as trance, techno, house, jungle, drum ‘n’ bass, followed by garage and grime, has traveled globally. Yet the generation that danced through those nights in Bagley’s King’s Cross wanders with a nostalgic haze, feeling the echoes of something monumental yet elusive.
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