Clubbers in Horley have seen their local nightclub endure more face-lifts, name changes, nips, tucks and controversy than the whole Kardashian clan put together.

And difficult though it may be to believe now but little ole Horley was once the mecca of music and entertainment in the South East (well kind of) back in the eighties and nineties.

Take for example the infamous Game Bird 'fun bar' (formerly The Thorns) in Brighton Road which attracted revellers far and wide with its weird and wonderful ways and whose clientele was arguably as bizarre and diverse as some of its entertainment acts.

REPUTATION: The Game Bird had a reputation that was as crazy as some of its acts
REPUTATION: The Game Bird had a reputation that was as crazy as some of its acts

Whatever people thought of it - and if you were to read comments on the various Facebook nostalgia groups, many loved it and wept when it closed (although their livers probably thanked them) - the Game Bird had a reputation for giving its patrons a night out that they wouldn't forget... their hangover in the morning would ensure that!

Another Horley club with a trendy (yes trendy!) reputation was Davinchi's, based in Consort Way.

A young DJ by the name of Martin White spun the latest, coolest tunes on the decks including New Jack Swing, soul and funk.

ON THE DECKS: Martin White spins the latest tunes in Davinchi's
ON THE DECKS: Martin White spins the latest tunes in Davinchi's

The DJ, who now works on Point Blank FM , said: "It used to be such a busy place back then. We used to have people coming down to Horley from London, which is mad when you think about it as the London clubs are so happening.

"I used to stick to non-commercial soul, house , funk and dance tunes and no chart rubbish."

RAMMED: This photo was taken in 1987 when the club was rammed with revellers wanting to let their hair down
RAMMED: This photo was taken in 1987 when the club was rammed with revellers wanting to let their hair down

Martin, who DJ'd at Davinchi's between 1987 and 1993 said: "This [picture above] was about 1987 at Davinchi's. We used to get 500 plus people in the club and it was very hot and smokey. I used to go home smelling like and ashtray and my ears ringing!"

MEMORIES: A flyer for LA Rock (left) and an older one for Davinchi's (right)
MEMORIES: A flyer for LA Rock (left) and an older one for Davinchi's (right)

And with the town's hot and happening reputation came a few famous faces along the way.

Firstly Erica Roe, known as the Twickenham Streaker, (who more recently appeared on The Island with Bear Grylls) opened the Game Bird, serving drinks behind the bar and signing drooling young men's soggy beer mats.

EXTROVERT: Famous streaker Erica Roe opened the Game Bird
EXTROVERT: Famous streaker Erica Roe opened the Game Bird

And let's not forget pop dance act Curiosity Killed The Cat, who released the insanely catchy 'Straight Back Down' also played a gig there.

Here's a pic of the beret-wearing frontman Ben Volpelierre-Pierrot, in case you'd forgotten...

PURRFECT: Curiosity Killed the Cat gigged at The Game Bird
PURRFECT: Curiosity Killed the Cat gigged at The Game Bird

And Baby D, the dance act most famous for 'Let Me be Your Fantasy', performed at Davinchi's to a ram-packed crowd.

Here's a reminder of how that song went to jog your memories...

Video Loading

And here's a little but of trivia you may or may not have known....Yousseph the glass collector at Davinchi's went on to re-brand himself as the one and only Chico on X-factor.

Who could forget that cheeky smile... he's now working on his latest project, a new exercise work out called Block Fit.

CHICO TIME: Chico collected glasses in Davinchi's
CHICO TIME: Chico collected glasses in Davinchi's

And one name re-appears on many Facebook groups when they reminisce about the good ole days of Horley's nightclub scene and that is of a doorman named Fitz (Fitzroy Miller), who worked at The Game Bird and Davinchi's and also played American football with the Crawley Raiders.

The general consensus was that he was a thoroughly nice bloke.

We also have to mention the 'Cockagram' from the Game Bird who wore just a rubber chicken attached to his manly parts and asked the crowd if anyone had seen his... you get the idea.

And then there was Tracks, later named Chancers, under the railway arches in Horley which disappeared without a trace.

Now, the town remains nightclub-less with no plans in the pipeline to rekindle a clubbing scene in Horley.

For those who fancy a late night drink after the pubs close, the only local options are Reigate, Crawley or Brighton.

With the amount of skirmishes, fights and incidents that occurred throughout the years, it's little wonder that many local residents prefer it this way.

TROUBLE: Flirt nightclub boss Gray Coe with the closure order issued by police and (right) police attend a fight outside the nightclub
TROUBLE: Flirt nightclub boss Gray Coe with the closure order issued by police and (right) police attend a fight outside the nightclub

One mother told us: "Horley is safer now without a nightclub."

The Game Bird is now family pub The Air Balloon and Davinchi's, which had many name and management changes over the years, is being used as an office at the top and the basement is currently empty.

CLUB-LESS: The top floor is now being used as an office and the basement is empty
CLUB-LESS: The top floor is now being used as an office and the basement is empty

Davinchi's closed and re-opened as LA Rock in the mid nineties attracting a whole new generation of clubbers.

A few years later it changed to Peaches bar and Milleniums club but allegations of late night violence and drug-taking meant the club was closed down in January 2000.

Later that year Michael Greco, who played Beppe diMarco in Eastenders, opened the newly re-branded Liquid Lounge which lasted around eight years before closing.

CHANGE: Horley's nightclub had many name changes over the years
CHANGE: Horley's nightclub had many name changes over the years

New managers took over in 2010 and, hoping to veer away from trouble and tap into the airport scene, they renamed it Bar 429 and marketed it as a gay venue.

FLOP: Bar 429 didn't last long
FLOP: Bar 429 didn't last long

Here's cheesy group Scootch, one of the acts that appeared in Horley's Bar 429.

Video Loading

Sadly, the venture didn't pay off and the Club closed. It then became Flirt but was tarnished with the reputation as 'the worst trouble spot in the borough' and closed in October 2013.

TROUBLE: Flirt was known by police to be a trouble hot spot
TROUBLE: Flirt was known by police to be a trouble hot spot

What do you think? Do you think Horley needs a nightclub or do you think the town is safer without one.

Is it a missed opportunity? Or are we better off without one.

poll loading

Does Horley need a nightclub?