Club DEMO leaves ESN building after just four months
After barely four months, it’s the end of the line for Club DEMO. The nightlife venue housed in the building of student association ESN Tilburg is closing its doors. ‘We gave it a try, but unfortunately it didn’t work out.’
The closure of Club DEMO may have consequences for ESN Tilburg, the main tenant of the building. ESN did not wish to comment to Univers on the shutdown or on what this means for the future of the international student association’s house bar.
In recent years, ESN repeatedly failed to pay the rent for its house bar Carpe Noctem on time, prompting talks with landlord Swinkels Vastgoed about possible arrangements to settle the outstanding bills. With the arrival of Club DEMO on Friday and Saturday nights, an additional tenant was brought in, which likely eased the financial burden on ESN.
Far below expectations
The reason the club moved into the ESN building was the long-term renovation of Club Smederij itself, which is closed for a year and a half due to major construction work. DEMO was meant to serve as an interim alternative for visitors and to generate income during the closure.
According to Kees Sanders, marketing manager of Club Smederij, revenue and visitor numbers fell far short of expectations. ‘People have less to spend at the moment, and Tilburg’s nightlife has declined significantly in recent years. Because of that, we simply can’t make the numbers work here.’
Future
Sanders does not expect the club to relaunch anytime soon. ‘Right now, we need to keep a tight grip on our expenses. All our resources are needed for Smederij itself.’ Club DEMO will open for the last time on New Year’s Eve.
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