Au revoir Ce Soir! Bar set to close after nine years

Saturday 22 July 2023

The owner of Ce Soir is offering clubbers a "last chance to dance" with a grand finale party before the bar closes its doors in September.

After nine years running Ce Soir, owner Brian Smith said that "all good things must come to an end" as he announced the bar's closure on Facebook.

Mr Smith, who also owns The Blind Pig and Alfresco Events, explained that he and his wife, Stani, will be stepping back from Ce Soir to "focus on other projects and spend more time with their family".

However, ahead of the final goodbye in September, Mr Smith is getting geared up to host a "closing weekend of epic proportions" over the bank holiday weekend at the end of August.

He said he hopes it will serve as a "grand finale and an opportunity for all lovers of the bar in all its iterations to come and have a final drink and a boogie".

Pictured: Brian Smith is the man behind Ce Soir, The Blind Pig, Alfresco Events, and Forbidden Cocktails.

Mr Smith added: "The venue itself now has an uncertain future, but has been a much loved space for many years, including its earlier life as Pure nightclub, Warehouse and Harbour Lights.

"Without knowing what the future holds, this may be the very last chance to show a proper party behind these doors."

The two-day closing event will pay homage to the "nostalgia" of the venue, with one of the nights focussed around a 'revival' of the bar's time as Pure nightclub. 

"[Pure] was a solid bastion of the underground scene," said Mr Smith. "Many a glassy eyed club-goer will tell tales of the dark warehouse vibe that Pure would deliver."

The second night of the closing party – taking place on Sunday 27 August – is being dubbed the "final big party in this space" featuring "a line-up of faithful residents of Ce Soir".

Reflecting on his time at Ce Soir, Mr Smith said he was "proud of what [he had] achieved" over the past nine years.

As a self-professed "lover of nightlife", Mr Smith added that it had been "really special" to be able to add something to the Jersey scene.

Despite his intention to remain involved in the wider hospitality industry, Mr Smith joked that he was "getting too old for nightclubs now" and hoped to "hand the baton to someone younger".