Moneypennys Hq Moneypenny's empire grows with the launch of HQ, the much-anticipated conversion of Birmingham stomping ground Bond's into a blueprint for the roll out of their lounge-culture operation. Yet another dance brand jumped the refurb wagon last month, when internationally renowned promoters Miss Moneypenny's turned first-time operators in million-pound style. Moneypenny's bosses, Dermott, Michael and Jim Ryan and Lee Garrick, have spent over £1.1million in the purchase and complete refurbishment of the former Bond's nightclub on Hampton St, Birmingham. "We recognised that we couldn't operate in venues that weren't up to a certain specification," says Dermott. "That's why we ended up buying our own. We've run the club out of Bond's for some time, and our main issue with the place in the past has always been that we had fantastic people here, but the facilities never matched the crowd. It's taken us being able to buy the place to make it fulfil all of our criteria". Directing Bond's re-development were two central motivations. Key to the Moneypenny's concept from its inception almost 15 years ago is escapism, and this played a central role in the make-up of the new club which, as Dermott explained, is "all about providing a safe environment for people to be flamboyant in". Evolving attitudes to socialising also came to bear and, when the plans were drawn for the unit, they incorporated a number of different spaces to allow multiple experiences under one roof. HQ caters to the aspirational demands of the Moneypenny's crowd with an interior based on the Ibizan bar/club model - providing a fresh start, phat CVA sound system and operational flexibility. "The best way I can describe the way we've modelled HQ is looking at clubs in Ibiza," Dermott explains. "What clubs in Ibiza offer, or good Spanish clubs generally, is that they manage to fuse bar and club elements together. We've got a powerful sound system that'll create a really good atmosphere on the floor, but surrounded it by bars so you can opt in and out. That's vital for us, because we've been around so long we've retained a lot of the older crowd and they don't necessarily want to dance anymore. But we also, because we're a recognised dance brand, get a lot of youth coming through who are absolutely our life blood, so we have to cater for them. We've tried to create a venue that's all things to all the people who are into our particular scene". What this means, in practice, is that the venue has been split into several different rooms and areas and now encompasses a vodka bar, champagne bar, cocktail bar and drinks bar. Both floors of the 700 capacity club comprise a dancefloor; the main 'Control Room' downstairs providing the primary focus in the form of a circular, sunken floor surrounded by private banquettes. The club is dressed throughout with dramatic lighting, drapes and cushions for a luxurious feel. Though the ground floor of the club has seen significant changes, it's upstairs that's seen the greatest transformation. The old, box-like rooms were completely remodelled by a designer, Patrick Casey of Avalon, who was "obsessed with curves" laughs Dermott. This obsession is seen throughout the venue which, a sweeping arrangement of curves and circles, is completely without corners. The most impressive incarnation of this fluid approach can be seen in The Globe, an intimate, spherical room kitted out in plush seating and seductive light. And then there's that flexibility. Although Saturday nights will be Miss Moneypenny's, the rest of the week will see the club host a variety of promotions, and the venue has been set up to facilitate this rotating roster. "The area that we use as a VIP on a Saturday night can get cleared out and be a stage, for example," says Dermott, "so we can have a live music element, which starts in a month's time". Working with respected names such as the NME and Kerrang radio, who will both put on nights at the venue, Moneypenny's are building a reputation for the venue that's based on a range of credible music genres - good practice for a team looking to carve a commercially viable identity for their venture. Operating away from the city's main drag makes filling the venue more difficult but, as Dermott points out, "that's why we're looking at niche markets. With a venue like HQ, you're not going to get any passing trade. But there are advantages to being out here. Rent and rates are a lot lower, so our operating costs are lower. It just means we've got to be a bit more imaginative about what we put in place. Which is what we are," he says realistically. "We're promoters, so if we cant do that then there's something wrong with us". With the blueprint set so confidently on their hometurf, I wonder if roll out is next on the cards. Dermott confirms this is their ultimate aim, and that they'll be monitoring HQ closely to see if the formula is right for introduction into other key cities in the UK and abroad. They're currently in talks with potential investors in an attempt to secure funding for the development. After 15 successful years in the business, the Moneypenny's venture still shows plenty of scope for growth.
