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By
Nathalie Porter
Billed
as a square dealing, friendly, multiracial experience, World Headquarters
claims to offer a truly alternative night out to Newcastle's more
established hotspots.
We
spent an evening at the club that has built a formidable reputation
in the city thanks to word of mouth …
Sister
to the Trent House Soul Bar on Leazes Lane, World Headquarters moved
from its former cramped location to Curtis Mayfield House in March
2003 and has ambitious plans to expand further.
Relaxing
and comfortable
 |
| Funky
and chilled out |
Funky,
chilled out and supremely friendly, the club has become known as
a place to escape the more anonymous nature of most clubbing venues.
Downstairs
offers an ideal place to start the night, with comfortable leather
sofas, a pool area and relaxing atmosphere, while upstairs there's
plenty of room to dance to a range of soul, funk, jazz, R&B
and hip-hop tunes.
The
music is carefully selected to keep those happy vibes going, so
any tracks that contain violent lyrics will be excluded from sets.
While
World Headquarters is keen to support independent events, it has
hosted national and international DJs including Trevor Nelson.
Bar
staff are friendly and while you'll have to wait as the crowds fight
for their attention, this is one of the few places you'll pay pub
prices on your drinks until it shuts at 3am.
The
décor will not win any prizes for style but that's not what
World Headquarters is about. Instead, the walls are adorned with
pictures of animals "to promote a global perspective at all
times."
I have
to admit this is likely to be lost on customers after a few too
many cheap vodkas, but the good intentions are there.
House
party?
Club owner Tom describes World Headquarters as "one big house
party", where all the customers are paying guests.
"Visitors
feel like they're in a different country here, there's a totally
different vibe from the mainstream club scene," he adds.
| The
World Headquarters experience |
Swishness
Factor - 5/10 - Too "real thing" for all that
bling
Music - 9/10 - Class tunes pumped out by one of the best
sound systems in town
Drinks - 10/10 - We haven't seen prices like this since
the student union and not a watered-down pint in sight
Atmosphere - 9/10 - Shiny happy people
Totty - 7/10 - All those cheap drinks help make the customers
pretty friendly
Dress - 8/10 - Individualism rules - a blue checked shirt-free
zone. |
The
party is set to get bigger next year with plans to open an indoor
skateboard park on floor three, along with a live music venue on
level two to add to the an art gallery recently launched on level
four.
Queues
already snake down the street before the club opens at 10:30pm so
get there early to secure your place for a night out with a difference.
Have
your say:
Tell us about your best and/or worst nights out.
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and tell us about the club you'd like to review. |
