New Cab Vol ‘is even better’

ONE of the Capital’s best-known live music venues is set to reopen, with its new owners reassuring revellers that it’s “even better than the real thing”.

Ahead of the official re-launch of Cabaret Voltaire on Thursday they revealed the bar would be open from noon to 3am seven days a week.

The venue, on Blair Street, had long been an institution on the Edinburgh music scene.

The popular nightspot which had been run for several years by Sarah David, was bought by pub and club giant Stefan King of G1 Group in July last year, and initially the firm stated that David would be left to continue operating the day-to-day business.

However, this arrangement soon changed and following her departure in February, a planned refurb was announced, leading many to fear a move away from its long-standing ethos of promoting up-and-coming DJs and bands towards becoming another “stag and hen” venue.

The G1 Group insisted that the work was vital and dismissed fears over its planned target market.

Manager Flik Knowles, who has worked at the venue since 2008, said: “The place needed sprucing up badly. We’re well aware of what Cab Vol means to a lot of people and as a result have taken great care to respect its heritage.

“I’ve heard a lot of wild rumours about us staging foam parties and 50p shots and that; this is not the case at all. I think people really will be pleasantly surprised when they come back through the doors.”

Up to 15 full-time and 15 part-time staff are also to be employed at the venue when it reopens tomorrow.

A new ground-floor bar has been created, new DJ talent enlisted, the already renowned sound system has been further beefed up, and sightlines to the stage have been improved.

Asked what type of crowd the club was hoping to attract, Flik added: “There really isn’t any single type of crowd we’re aiming at. To be honest, we genuinely feel that the Cab will now have something to offer everyone.

“Live music is still a big part of what we do too and we’re really pushing local talent.

“We’re taking great care to respect Cab Vol’s heritage and after great deal of deliberation, using the venue’s history as our focal point, we’re really pleased to have locked in the variety we have.”

On the venue’s Facebook page news of the venue’s reopening was met with mixed reactions.

One fan, Euan Black said: “Edinburgh nights out haven’t been the same since they shut. Fridays sound brilliant.”

Another David Robertson said: “I’m not hopeful. Scrapping all the regular nights probably wasn’t a sign that they were looking to keep the same vibe but may as well stay open minded, I loved that place dearly, it was the first club I really enjoyed going to.”