BREAKING NEWS: Party over for Charlie Chan's (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

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BREAKING NEWS: Party over for Charlie Chan's

5:02pm Saturday 17th November 2007

comment Comments (16) Have your say »

By Jonathan Bunn »

A NIGHTCLUB on the site of Walthamstow Stadium has shut down.

Charlie Chan's, close to the popular Greyhound racing arena in Chingford Road, has closed with immediate effect.

The closure is reportedly due to a dramatic fall in the number of customers since the smoking ban was introduced and the effect of looser licensing laws.

Chan's goer Tom Hutchison, 27, of Chingford, said: "Half of Chingford grew up in Chan's.

"It's a massive blow to the borough, being the last real nightclub we had left.

"It was a hugely popular place over its 23 years and I hope it will be revived under a different name and revamped image.

"Where are we going to go for a late beer now?"

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Paul Benjamin, Tokyo, Japan says...
8:45am Mon 19 Nov 07

I spent far too much of my youth in Chan's. Brings back a lot of great memories of blue strove fueled rampages...

Very saddened by it's closing, very saddened indeed...

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Nina, Chingford says...
12:42pm Tue 20 Nov 07

A lot of us stopped going to Chans because it was full of underage drinkers, teeny boppers and drunk 17 year olds. I'd like to know if the loss of income had anything to do with the closure. If a place is good, customers always go back, and the smoking comment just does not ring true to me. Will miss Chans. Tis very sad.

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Amy, E10 says...
1:38pm Tue 20 Nov 07

The smoking ban is wrecking pubs and bars in this area. The British Beer and Pub Association reported this week there had been a massive drop in sales since the ban was introduced. The chairman of Enterprise Inns (which owns lots of pubs in Waltham Forest) was quoted today saying the smoking ban will "inevitably" lead to more pub closures in the next year. Chan's is just the first, expect a lot more of these stories in the months ahead. Sad.

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David Lichfield, Chingford says...
9:48am Wed 21 Nov 07

Hmmm, I'm not sure about the quoted reasons for Chan's closure. Could it be related to the rumours that Walthamstow Stadium is to be sold off for housing? This cannot be allowed to happen.
Visit www.savethestow.com

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Sam Wallah, Walthamstow says...
12:31pm Wed 21 Nov 07

Amy, why is it sad? It's great news that countless bar staff, waiting staff and customers are not exposed to dangerous fumes. And sorry if this upsets the British Beer and Pub Association - NOT!!

As for the Chan, I wouldnt worry too much. No doubt it'll come back and something new and bigger will emerge
whilst in the process attracting nostaligic (and free) publicity.

As for knocking down the dog stadium, excellent. Walthamstow needs housing for our ever expanding population. Might celebrate with a bet at victorchandler.com

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Chingford lady, chingford says...
12:53pm Wed 21 Nov 07

The comment about the need for housing justifying the demolition of this great and wonderful building has narked me. Anybody agree?

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Sam Wallah, Walthamstow says...
4:54pm Wed 21 Nov 07

why has it narked you? The Chandlers own the property it's up to them what they do with it. In any case if it's a mixture of private and social housing then everyone wins - well everyone that is except people like you who will be mourning for the passing of an eyesore. Yes it's an eyesore, which people from outside E17 mock. It takes up valuable space and is not really inclusive of our community or its needs. The sooner it goes the better.

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kerry collins, Chingford says...
6:16pm Sat 24 Nov 07

Chans has not shutdown because of the smoking ban as Faces nightclub has obviously had to deal with the samw ban but is thriving and busy all weekend. The truth is Chans is out dated and full of under age "kids", most of the crowd from Chans can now be found in Faces, it is sad that Chans has closed as I enjoyed many nights in there but unless Chans are going to move with the times it was bound to lose customers sooner or later. what happened to the over 21s for ladies over 23s for men.

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CH, says...
12:35am Sun 25 Nov 07

Faeces is a poor example. The only thing that Faeces does is to attract an unruly mob to what is still predominantly a residential area.

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charlie, says...
4:34pm Mon 26 Nov 07

what are you talking about you idiots! walthamstow dog stadium has been there for decades, and has gave us all something to do at the weekend, who ever thinks it should be knocked down is a complete and utter ****, we are knocking everything down and building flats, why? we are destroying everything that previous generations worked hard for and i hope that it is all rumors so it can stay for decades to come

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Steve D, Walthamstow says...
10:02pm Tue 27 Nov 07

Whilst I myself am not lamenting the loss of Chan's itself, it's a shame to lose the last club for miles around, and if the stadium is sold and demolished it will be a travesty. Everything is being cleared for housing, what do the council expect us to do when there are houses everywhere and nowhere to go? The Stadium is the only reason I stay in Walthamstow and I hope to be here for years to come.

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brad, chingford says...
4:11pm Sat 1 Dec 07

who needs flats we dont want more low lifes moving in to chingford any way. liquid will buy chans and it will soon become great again!

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Jo, Loughton says...
1:41pm Mon 3 Dec 07

Chan's will not be re-opening under any other name. Get over yourselves people, it's gone and it won't be coming back. And no, Faces did not steal all of the business. The smoking ban did have a huge effect on numbers and well, the amount of fake ID out there astounds me.

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paul, Chingford says...
5:40pm Thu 20 Dec 07

Losing Chans as a club for me is no great loss to the area. It was a pretty poor excuse for a nightclub. That said, the dog stadium is well worth protecting. It is all very well saying "The Chandlers own the property it's up to them what they do with it", however if we went with that argument, property developers would be even worse than they are now. An area completely lacking in entertainment is not an area I'd want to live in.
It is the interesting places such as the dog track, not the blocks of flats that give areas their individuality and charm, and I for one would be sad to see the diggers move in.

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Liz, Walthamstow says...
10:00pm Thu 31 Jan 08

It would be excellent news for the stadium to close. Thousands and thousands of dogs are mistreated by the racing indsutry each year. Whilst some owners are responsible, this mistreatment and terrible cruelty will continue as long as racing continues. Greyhounds make great pets but thousands are put down or killed in horrific ways simply as a bi-product of human entertainment.

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Tony Peters, Greyhound Action says...
12:54am Tue 26 Feb 08

About 20,000 greyhounds are put to death every year because of the British dog racing industry. Please help stop this atrocity by not attending or betting on greyhound racing. The sooner Walthamstow Stadium closes, the better. See our website at www.greyhoundaction.
org.uk for more information.

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