Promoter relaunches club with focus on its long history
By Graeme Murray
DUNDEE’S largest nightclub is set to reopen after being taken over by a new operator.
Tony Cochrane, of TC Promotions, is to relaunch the former Fat Sams as retro venue Club Tropicana and Vogue.
Cochrane took over the 3500-capacity venue at the end of September and its official opening is this Saturday (November 15).
The operator owns nine other venues across Scotland, including ’80s and ’90s-themed clubs in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Dunfermline.
Cochrane secured the lease from Luminar Leisure and has spent £60,000 refurbishing the five-bar, two-floor venue.
He said: “We have taken over the two top floors of the club.
“One of them is Club Tropicana, which plays ’80s music and the other ’90s music venue is Vogue.
“It’s the same format as some of my other clubs elsewhere and has worked well in Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
“Fat Sams has got a lot of history in Dundee and we also have a piano bar at the back called Play it again Sam which pays homage to its past.”
The venue has two floors themed with film and music references from the eras including photographs and memorabilia.
He said: “In Club Tropicana, we’ve got things like the A-Team coming out of the wall and a three dimensional ET.
“We also have a lot of photos of all the bands who played at Fat Sams during the ’80s and ’90s.”
The club’s retro theme also has era-defining images and TV characters as part of the decor.
Cochrane said: “It’s a wide range of ages we hope to attract. There’s nothing pretentious about the clubs.
“They are more about the music and having a good time.”
