By Fiachra O’Maolcraibhe
The lovely folk at Love and Death decided to celebrate their 2nd year in business over the weekend beginning the 21st September. Gown reporters Fiachra O’Maolcraibhe and Megan Joyce took a trip down to see what all the fuss was about – and experienced a venue that pulls no punches. Good tunes, suspect dancing, debauchery and general mayhem ensued.
In an interview with The Gown, joint owner Anthony Farrell aka ‘Soda’ explained the reasoning behind L&D’s business ethic, the style of their club, their entertainment policy and their commitment to their customers.
When asked about the bar’s layout and ‘vibe’ he stated that they wanted to create something that was totally ‘unique to Belfast’. He said that what they really wanted to achieve with L&D was a place that offered people the chance to enjoy a bit of old fashioned Irish Craic in the right way.
“The reason being” he said, “is that Irish people often get it
[craic] so wrong.”
Their goal was to create a venue that displayed forms of mediation, reflection and inspiration and they have certainly achieved those goals. Everything from the quirky decor to the comic-book style cocktail lists is a statement of their purpose. That statement being that, ‘we are here, we are loud and we will entertain you’.
L&D set themselves apart from the established industry by offering customers different DJ’s every Friday and Saturday. They also aim to book at least one big act each month. They are if anything in a process of constantly re-investing in their customers – and that is why people keep on coming back for more. L&D don’t offer their customers something that is cheap and tacky; instead they offer them quality food, drink and entertainment at an affordable price.
Overall, L&D have secured for themselves a unique place in the Belfast social scene by setting themselves apart and branding their venue as unique and above all uncompromising. I for one look forward to their continuing success in the years to come and would encourage all to venture down to this den of pleasure. If you do you will experience something quite on the fringe of just about everything else offered to students and young people in Belfast.
The Gown Online 
