"Damp," They Said. Fair Enough.

Someone summed up the old place on Facebook in a single word the other week: "Damp." We can't argue with that. By the time we took it on, the building was in a sorry state, and damp was the half of it.

The roofs had had it. Rain had been getting in for years, into the walls, the ceilings, the woodwork, and you could feel it in the air the moment you walked in - cold and clammy, not exactly the welcome you want. It's the same story as plenty of clubs round here: when money's tight, the big jobs get put off, and damp doesn't wait.

So we started where you have to start - the top. We've spent close to £300,000 on new roofs so far, and we're not finished yet. There's no point doing anything pretty inside until you've stopped the water getting in. Once it was watertight, we got the place dried out properly: out came the ruined plaster, the rotten timber and the mouldy old carpets, and in came the work to make sure it stays dry for good. We've had over 20 skips so far.

It's not glamorous, and it's not quick. But the bones of the building are sound again, and that's what matters. The nice bits - the paint, the lighting, the fit-out - come next, and we'll keep you posted as they do.