Minories and Mary Janes
We had been aware of Minories and liked the venue but it was used by a Goth night and a Lesbian night … Thinking we might have to just accept just 2 nights per month Lesley and I visited on spec … Talking to the manager she said straight away “We would love to host WayOut – we know all about you – you have a strong reputation” We said we would be OK with just 2 nights per month – she said “the Lesbian night has just cancelled you can have 3” WOW … result
Lesley and I crossed the road to Mary Janes explaining we needed one night per month and we got it….
I left for California …… and Lesley, Lisa, Dan (Morag McDuff), Giles, Jamie and Gary moved WayOut with a trail of posters from GILT to Minories
After a year the Goth night finished and WayOut had Minories EVERY Saturday for in total 9 years …. It was at Minories that Film director Izaskun Galarraga discovered us and began filming regularly leading to her Documentary MY WAY OUT
COVID PANDEMIC
it was March 2020 when my nephew rung me “have you heard the news? go put the TV on” There was Boris telling us “shut your businesses” WayOut and Minories had no choice we shut the doors for 2 years … I felt like my throat had been cut
Reopening in October 2021 we had 470 visitors (but only two bar staff)
It was amazing …. It was strange next month we were shut down again by the government ..
The Minories management talked to us continuously and when we both felt it was ok we opened again weekly ….. but numbers were low as SO many were struggling to get over the 2 year lockdown…
SO then came a letter from Stonegate management who owned Minories and half of the venues with late licences in London …. “If you want to continue you must agree this contract” The contact was impossible full of ridiculous clauses (including Stonegate running the door cloakroom and WayOut indemnifying everything on the night with an insurance) …. NO promoter could have agreed to it furthermore it centred on an agreed £SPEND on the night and Stonegate would not set a £SPEND so there was NO way I would sign I just gave our notice ….