THE LEGENDARY After Dark Night Club could live to party another day as councillors are expected to reject proposals to build flats in its place.
In October Richard James Homes Ltd submitted plans to Reading Borough Council requesting permission to tear down the listed London Street club that hosted the likes of Pulp and Blur replacing it with ten apartments.
Now council officers have thrown the club a lifeline, recommending the schemes are thrown out when the planning committee next meets.
Neil Richards, manager of the club, which has entertained Reading for more than four decades, welcomed the news.
"It has now been confirmed that the principal planning officer at Reading Borough Council has recommended rejecting the planning application to demolish and convert The After Dark into ten flats," he said.
“There have been over 1,200 objections and observations and I would like to thank everyone who took the time to comment on the application.”
More than 3,200 people signed a petition to save the club when it's future first came under threat.
Ray Higgs, of Tippings Lane, Woodley, spent the 60s and 70s performing there with his band.
The 70 year-old said: “It is an iconic venue. Reading has lost too many independent clubs over the years.
"When I was playing in bands there were several places you could play live. We could play a different venue five or six days a week.
“Now groups have difficulty finding places to perform.”
The independent venue's future was first cast into doubt six weeks ago when the plans were submitted to the council.
Writing on the petition Ann Jarvis said: "I feel passionately about preserving this club. It is loved and well attended.
“43 years of music with bands such as Blur and Pulp having played.
“There's never any trouble and it is an alternative venue to the usual chains.
“It is a part of Reading's cultural history and its present. Please do not destroy it.”
The report submitted to the committee criticises the substandard quality of accommodation proposed, the additional pressure ten apartments would have on parking, schools and doctors.
It reads: “The After Dark has for long time been part of Reading’s history and many famous acts have played here.
“This is Reading’s ‘Cavern Club’. It would be a terrible loss in Reading’s Year Of Culture.”
The club's future will be known when the planning committee meet on Wednesday, December 7.
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