DJ, writer and 909originals contributor Rosie Riot headed along to South London dance culture icon Ministry of Sound last week to discover why it is cutting ties with traditional VIP boundaries.
On 10 July, Ministry of Sound hosted an industry ‘mixer’ to unveil its first major VIP refit in over 15 years. The iconic London nightclub has just unveiled a completely reimagined space, entitled the ‘No Velvet Rope Society’.
The event marked a chance for those in the industry to preview the newly rebuilt mezzanine overlooking the club’s ‘Box’ dance space. Once low-lit red with padded booths, the updated lounge area has a smart, minimal look and an icy lighting scheme. The exclusive introduction event also saw the courtyard taken over by stylish industry folk, sipping free drinks to a tech house soundtrack on an otherwise very muggy evening in the city.
The new refit for the membership scheme is a nod to 90s rave culture meets high-spec audio. It’s a fresh take on the VIP experience, which Ministry, in their own words, sees as a ‘levelling up’.
No Velvet Rope (or ‘NVR’, as the venue abbreviated with some punchy new branding on their big screens) is essentially the venue’s brainchild to abolish the typical constructs of traditional VIP culture.
However, it’s less of an eradication, and more a redefinition — think more membership or subscription than completely free access. For a yearly fee of £150, party patrons can enjoy a host of benefits including access to their sophisticated, newly defined VIP areas, a ‘skip-the-queue’ discreet back entrance, a complimentary bottle of Moët when making a birthday booking, 15% off minimum spend on first table reservation bookings, and more.
In the venue’s own words, it’s a ‘space for everyone but elevated’. A place for party purveyors to connect, share moments, and collectively value creativity. More information can be found here.
Words and photos by Rosie Riot.
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