Plans to demolish a former nightclub in Newport have been given the final go-ahead. The old Zanzibar nightclub on Stow Hill is being demolished and plans to turn it into 37 affordable flats were approved by the council last June.
The building has had a colourful past, having been a chapel, a popular punk venue and a home-from-home for ravers. From 1997 to 2007 it was known as Zanzibar, a 1,800 capacity club which was a mainstay of Newport's social scene in the 1990s that had risen from the ashes of its punk roots.
Before that, the building was home to the Stowaway in the 1970s and hosted bands like Siouxsie & The Banshees, The Pretenders and the Sex Pistols. The club has also been known variously as Escapade, Lazer and Brooklyn Heights during its history before closing for good in 2007. See some of the best pictures from the club down the years here.
