Bad but also good news... Profile bar is no more from the end of April. You may recall it opened in 2007 as a joint venture between Gaydar and bar operating group, VMPG and was soon followed by Lo-Profile the club. Word on the street is that VPMG, like many bar franchise operators, is over leveraged with debt, hit by property hell and the recession across its portfolio of bars.
Lo-Profile, the club wlll now be taken over by Gaydar and stay open. We reckon this is great news. Big corporates running bars and clubs is fine when it's tacky "Cheers" themed hell or a Planet Hollywood. Their massive expansion into every corner, fuelled by the property boom pricing every smaller business out, was very damaging. What comes next for Soho and the rest of the scene we don't know tho.
They say: QSoft Consulting Ltd, owners of the Gaydar brand and Vince Power Music Group (VPMG) have ended the joint venture that previously owned Profile and Lo-Profile. VPMG will continue to operate Profile Bar on Frith Street until April 30th 2009 after which time it will cease trading as Profile. Lo-Profile, the nightclub at 84-86 Wardour Street, W1 – remains open and is now wholly owned by QSoft Consulting Ltd. Details of a new Gaydar venue will follow in a separate press release.
I thought you said it was closing.........???????
Still open Sunday 24.05.09.
Posted by: nine to fiver | Sunday, 24 May 2009 at 20:10
DT.. when I was wring that I meant to mention about the friendly staff and totally forgot.
Yes they were very nice staff there.
It had a later license till 1am so it was great to go for a late drink if you can't quite handle a pneumatic club environment when all you want is a drink and chat with friends.
Given the layout and the beauty of that building I'm just staggered as to why it wasn't a roaring success?
Oh yeah I can guess really.. the decor!
ps.. rotfl @nm67uk's comment: "You could tell a credit crunch was on its way by the lines of twinks maxing out their cards on drinks at the bar..."
very well observed!! hehe
Posted by: Pistolpete | Tuesday, 10 March 2009 at 22:07
I'll be interested to see what Gaydar do next; I liked Profile but avoided it like the plague as the price of a round of drinks would make me weep.
You could tell a credit crunch was on its way by the lines of twinks maxing out their cards on drinks at the bar...
Posted by: nm67uk | Tuesday, 10 March 2009 at 20:50
Hi Gaydar & Pete. Pete - I do agree with what you say. The interior is mad. However, there is more to the place than the wacky decor: the staff are very friendly; the place is clean; the music is OK (although awful on occasion), and the atmosphere is much more welcoming than other bars. I think it's fair to say that many of my friends feel more comfortable there than anywhere else.
Gaydar--you should take Pete's comments on board. Personally I liked some of it, for example the decorative column thing in the middle floor, and the downstairs seating area. Best of luck with the new venue!
Posted by: DT | Tuesday, 10 March 2009 at 09:38
I'm sorry you feel that way DT so I'm going to try and be sensitive to your feelings about the place when I say that I personally found Profile Bar about as repulsive as it possibly was to find a bar space in central London.
I remember when it was 6Degrees and straight mixed bar. It had gorgeous exposed brick work spread over 3 levels. On every level one was spoilt with busy Soho street scene through their numerous Georgian period windows.
Then along came gaydar and obviously gave some one who a friend of their with no experience of design, they gave this individual or group a big budget for the interior.
I used to go there and just wince imaging the faces of their building contractors who had to put all that shaped chrome into place.
They also put translucent panels over those gorgeous windows, so if you got sick of looking at the decor inside, you could get no respite from the horrors inside by looking outside, your vision was trapped inside some nasty acid pink and acid yellow amateur queen's creative ejaculation.
The upstairs bar with those yellow and pink pleather sofas and the fish tanks lcd screen built over those nice brick fireplaces used to make my heart weep.
It's an absolutely beautiful space there and I hope that someone restores it to it's former glory.
I do interiors as my day but I don't think you need to work in this field to find Profile Bar beyond a joke because pretty much everyone I spoke to shared my opinions about the decor.
I hope that they take those stupid panels off from their copious windows and allow some light and Soho street life to shine through now!
Posted by: Pistolpete | Tuesday, 10 March 2009 at 08:39
Hey DT - hopefully you'll join us for a drink at our new home very soon. News on the new venue is just 'round the corner. Stay connected. www.gaydar.co.uk
Posted by: Gaydar | Tuesday, 10 March 2009 at 08:25
Shame - Profile is about the only Soho bar I drink in these days. There isn't anything that I especially like about it, but it kinda feels like home these days....
Posted by: DT | Tuesday, 10 March 2009 at 08:09