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Stillorgan, Co. Dublin: This initial greeting certainly sets the tone for the new Stillorgan venue, built on the site of the erstwhile Oasis nightclub. Bondi Beach is all about fun, relaxation and decadences, from its bespoke cocktail list to the staff's authentic Hawaiian uniforms, from the music policy to the bright, surf-themed décor. If you're not willing to let go and enjoy yourself, you're in the wrong place. Designer Brenda Scott-Noonan of Isolde Design really had fun on this job. Having previously commissioned her to style the Party House in Dun Laoghaire and Beach Club in Greystones, the owners were happy to give her a basic brief, then let her run wild with the rest of the décor.
If there is to be a party, there has to be a great sound. Audio Tek were brought in to install the best of sound, AV and light equipment in Bondi Beach, as well as something very special. I asked Audio-Tek's Dave Purnell to talk me through the job.
The décor at Bondi Beach is designed to enhance the nighttime experience, and to work well with its exciting lighting scheme. The walls are painted in a variety of acid colours, each one bleeding into the next for a bright, rainbow effect. They are finished with a different hand painted image, a surf dude, a beach babe, a rippling wave. The three bars are styled like little huts, their bamboo roofs jutting out of each corner, and a wide selection of spirits, beers and drinks tastefully displayed behind. Most of the floor is kept free for standing room, but a wealth of drinks shelves are also scattered throughout, complete with high cranberry and beige leather stools.
Bondi Beach has been trading heavily since its launch just a few short weeks ago. Opening night was, as you might imagine, a very up-tempo affair, and saw its fair share of celebrities from home and abroad partying late into the night. Does this signal a new lease of life for the big, pumping nightclub? Is time up for the sedate lounges that have dominated Dublin's late night scene for the last few years? Maybe I should just stop thinking so much and give in to the fun.... Sound
spec This article appears in the June/July issue of am:pm Ireland and is reproduced with their kind permission. Photography by Jim Ellam |
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Before
that, however, there was a significant amount of structural
challenges to overcome. Playing on the name of the venue,
Oasis' bar had been right in the centre of the club. While
this may have worked for the previous owners, the Bondi
Beach team knew that they could easily improve circulation
around the room. They pulled out the old bar, replacing it
with a large, stepped dance floor, and fitted three tiki
bars and a seating area in the four corners of the large
room.
"From
our point of view it's always great doing business with the
Bondi Beach team. Each of the owners has been in the
business a long time and they knew what they wanted. They
specified what they wanted in terms of quality of sound and
light and looked to us for something just that little bit
special in terms of visual entertainment. Now they have the
best equipped venue in Dublin, right down to having one of
our new Airoamer environmental fragrancing units. So not
only does the venue look great and sound great, it even
smells great!"
The
last corner is home to a sultry seating area. With cosy
carpets and a long leather bench seat running around, this
section is the perfect place for a group of friends to chill
out on busy nights, whilst still feeling part of the action
in the club.