Well known Birmingham nightclub closes down

A Birmingham nightclub which had its business severely disrupted by the roadworks associated with the city’s new Paradise development has shut down.

Mechu, one of three nightspots in Summer Row, has endured a tough 18 months since the implementation of the roadworks; a situation which culminated in its parent group, Town and Country Inns, entering administration in November.

The group, which also included Apres and Fleet Street Kitchen, was quickly sold by administrators in a deal which saved the jobs of around 100 people, although 17 jobs were lost with the closure of the Apres bar in Cheltenham, which was the group’s only operation outside the West Midlands.

New owner, FSK Group, has had the chance to assess the performance of the various operations over the last three months but has quickly reached the conclusion that Mechu, which first opened its doors in 2003, has reached the end of the road.

The club finally closed its doors on Sunday morning after a farewell party.

A note on its website states: “During its time, it (Mechu) has defined Birmingham’s clubbing scene, setting and then raising the bar of experience and expectation as the city’s pre-eminent night-time venue for discerning partygoers.”

The club featured four bars, a restaurant, a dancefloor and three distinct sections for VIPs, spread across two floors.

However, while Mechu may have reached the end, FSK is still keen to utilise the club space.

It offers a clue of the Mechu Twitter feed, which states: “Stay tuned for what’s to come this Summer”.

It is thought FSK will refit the club’s interior in time for an opening around June. It will not reopen as Mechu but the new brand has not been revealed.

The group is hoping that by the summer, the roadworks which have been the source of so much disruption will finally be over.

The closure does not affect Apres and Fleet Street Kitchen which are trading as normal.