HIGH ABOVE Glasgow’s fashionable Finnieston hospitality district, the Radisson RED Sky Bar is the stylish place to be after dark – a status that has now been officially confirmed with the title ‘Scotland’s Best Late Night Venue’.
Judging for the Award, which was presented by the Scottish Licensed Trade News in association with Tia Maria, sought out a late opening premises that successfully combined a night-time ambience with top quality drinks and excellent customer service, powered by business innovation and an impactful marketing strategy.
With its stylishly ambient vibe, cutting edge music offering and unsurpassed skyline view over the Clydeside’s modern heart, Radisson RED’s Sky Bar was a popular choice for 2022’s Award.
Boasting the same sound system as some of the iconic Ibiza venues that defined the ambient scene, the Sky Bar has big name DJs playing regularly, from George Bowie and his Generation GBX club classics events to Mark Doyle’s Hed Kandi and Stevie Lennon’s Floorfillerz. The Sky Bar also owes special thanks to its original and ongoing residents Jon Mancini and Michael Kilkie of Guilty Pleasures and Electric Dreams
Plus there are curator Graham Chalmers’ own Skyline events, with internationally renowned progressive house DJs flying in specially, including Nick Warren and Danny Howells, as well as pre-parties for iconic festivals like Riverside, Melting Pot and a new Silicone Soul and Friends series.
But the Sky Bar it’s not just about dance music – Clyde 1 and Bauer have teamed up with Radisson RED to bring Live and Up Close shows to the RED Sky Bar, with Tom Walker and Callum Beattie performing to a select audience of winners so far – and more stars to come.
Commenting on the win, Graham Chalmers said: “What a night at the Scottish Licensed Trade News Awards
“Thank you to all of our friends, partners and supporters who have been on our journey past, present or future and helped make RED the venue it is today.
“This one means the world to us and we couldn’t have done it without you.
“With the RED Sky Bar upstairs – recently named one of the top 50 rooftop bars in the world – and the Oui Bar downstairs we can offer a lot of different events and I think people really appreciate that.
Graham continued: “Coming up with Skyline and bringing DJs I love from around the world, bringing Hed Kandi back to Scotland with its founder, bringing George and Generation GBX to the RED Sky Bar, launching Silicone Soul and Friends, it’s hard to believe how far we have come, especially over the last year or so.
“Working with partners including Clyde and Bauer to bring massive stars to our venue, Go Radio and their events, our hugely popular brunches and parties with Frazi.er, Riverside Festival and many more.
“We always felt we were much more than just a hotel – so to have this award recognise that is truly humbling.”
Fellow finalists and runners-up for the 2022 Best Late Night Venue Award were Glasgow’s BLOC+, which has gone to extraordinary lengths to ensure it’s a late night venue that caters for everyone, with events ranging from live bands and open mic nights to a diverse range of club nights, and a dedication to social responsibility; and The Record Factory, the multi-purpose west end venue which hosts entertainment spanning everything from quizzes, live sport and open mic nights to cabaret, theme nights, live music and DJs – and which won this year’s SLTN Best Venue To Watch The Match Award.
