Liquid

Liquid is one of Luminar’s star concepts. It has opened two Liquid nightclubs this year in Ipswich and Middlesbrough and was due to open a third in Lancaster in late November.

It also intends to turn six of the venues it acquired from Allied Leisure into the brand, quite apart from a roll-out programme of about eight planned for next year.

Luminar Dancing Division’s regional manager Barry White is responsible for the opening of each new Liquid. He says the 1400-1900sqm clubs, which are light, airy and non-threatening, are successful because they are so different to the dark decor and ubiquitous mirrors found in traditional nightclubs.

Aimed at clubbers between the ages of 19 and 34, the Liquid look is fairly minimalist. While each venue features lava lamps and colourful carpets with red swirls over a blue and black pebbled background, walls and ceilings are either white or pale grey and are used as projection screens.

Part of Luminar’s strategy is to maximise the advantages technology can bring. White believes the sophistication of Liquid’s lighting systems is one of the characteristics that sets it apart. The facility is available to create a huge variety of light effects, says Jon Legge, a director at Bulldog Design, which designed Liquid’s interiors and works on most Liquid openings. However, his preferred option is a straightforward ‘oil wheel’ effect, created by shining light through glass containing coloured oils.

‘Essentially we keep it simple and pure,’ he explains. ‘The Liquid theme is about going with the flow.’

The Liquid logo was created by Insight Acumen in Doncaster. The interiors concept was devised in-house by Luminar then developed by Bulldog Design, which also worked on signage and graphics.