BOSSES at a newly re-opened Westcliff venue are looking ahead to a busy future after organising a host of events - including a weekly LGBTQ+ night.

“The Venue” re-opened last month under the management of Annie Bush, who runs the neighbouring Cricketers pub in London Road, with the aim of re-introducing live music and creating an events space.

Now it has been confirmed the Venue will host a LGBTQ+ night every Tuesday, kicking off with a Halloween Party on October 29. Southend Pride will lead on organising the weekly event, called “Club Prism” from 8pm until 1am, and a special themed night will take place every month.

Annie has revealed that alongside the new club night, the Venue live bands are booked to perform on Friday and Saturday night’s and a day rave event will take place on December 7.

Southend Pride chair Sam Adam and co-founder Gaz de Vere are behind the new club night.

Gaz said: “The Venue has an impressive history of eclectic off the wall events, it is one of the few mid-scale venues left in Southend and perfect for club nights.

“Since its refurbishment after Covid, lockdown and its closure last year, it is a perfect fit for Southend Pride to launch an inclusive club night, fusing 80s and 90s ‘dressing up’ nights with club classics and house music provided by local legend DJ Maddz.

“We’re planning to have acts on our party nights that represent more than the just drag queens, such as bands, singers and all kinds of performers, albeit music, comedy, spoken word, in fact anything people would like.”

Annie is confident the club night will be a good thing and is happy to see the bookings at the Venue begin to pick-up.

She said: “We were asked by a lot of people for this night and I am very happy to do this, I hope it takes off as a new night and as a new club, it might encourage others to get going with their own nights here.

“I think the day rave is different and uses the Venue, it is new for me and the area and it is a good idea. The older people don’t want to stay late and it finished at a good time, they don’t have to worry about cabs.

“We are nearly all booked for Fridays and Saturdays into next year with bands, there is an appetite to use the Venue.”

She added: “We have had many bookings, we are getting there, and people are inquiring, we have a wedding booked next year and Club Prism.

“It is positive, most clubs are not doing Tuesday and we are hoping we can get people in.”