A lost Liverpool venue that once sold a '30-litre Champagne bottle' for '£125K' saw a number of celebrities pass through its doors.
The PlayGround club, on Thomas Steers Way, was launched by George Panayiotou in December 2011 and quickly become a nightspot of choice for celebrities and local clubbers. Located inside Liverpool's Hilton Hotel, many will remember no expense being spared on the £2m superclub or leaving with a slice of pizza at the end of the night.
Prior to its opening, founder George Panayiotou said it was "his mission" to "put Liverpool on the same nightlife circuit as the likes of St Tropez and Miami." Liverpool fashion designer Kirsty Doyle created the staff uniforms for PlayGround, while Justine Mills from Cricket ran the membership scheme and WAG Alex Gerrard designed the membership cards.
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At the launch, VIPS were treated to a huge £48,000 bottle of champagne and guests included Jennifer Ellison, Rebecca Ferguson and Coleen Rooney. The cast of Desperate Scousewives also attended the opening for their series finale.
Once billed as Liverpool’s luxury late night venue, in 2012 the ECHO visited PlayGround to see what the hype was all about. Our reporter previously said: "On getting in they scan your driving licence, make you put your finger print on a little pad, go through an airport style scanner then tattoo a tiny barcode on the inside of your wrist to get back in after nipping out for a smoke. (I made that last bit up, but it was a bit Fort Knox.)
"Over at the bar the service was excellent. The staff were quick, knew all the prices off the tops of their heads and looked smart. They decanted my bottle of Peroni (£4.50) into a nice delicate glass, the kind of which I always hope people won’t give to me in their homes lest I happen on a clumsy episode.
"My girlfriend had a Finlandia vodka, lime and lemonade at £5.50, served in a tall, highball glass with lots of ice. The round wasn’t bad value for a nightclub – this isn’t a Jagerbomb for a quid and four alcopops for a fiver kind of place. Cocktails are £9, and a Jeroboam (or three litres) of Dom Perignon Rose is £4,000."
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The exclusive club was a favourite of Liverpool celebs, including Coleen Rooney, Danielle Lloyd - who had her hen party there - and Alex Gerrard when it opened. In its time, Strictly Come Dancing’s Kristina Rihanoff, boxer David Haye and a number of footballers passed through its doors.
The club also attracted known faces from the States, such as American model and actress Amber Rose. But many Scousers will remember dressing to the nines to head to PlayGround and rubbing shoulders with big names.
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In 2015, Liverpool celebrities turned out for the city’s glamorous launch of Iceberg Vodka at the Hilton Hotel and PlayGround. Bollywood star Amy Jackson, model and TV personality Amanda Harrington and Big Brother’s Mark Byron all turned out to sample and celebrate, whilst WAG Coleen Rooney took to Twitter to support the brand and launch.
No expense was spared at the popular venue. The private members’ space, the Private PlayRoom, was invitation only and at one point in time set members back £500-a-year.
Over the years, PlayGround also became known in the city for lavish spending. In 2012, a 30-litre bottle of Champagne was sold from the club's 18-foot-long bar for £125,000.
But it wasn't all good news for PlayGround. In 2013, the club was the subject of a licence review the following year after a member of staff was punched in the face and police officers found wraps of cocaine in a VIP area. There is no suggestion that any celebrities featured or who attended the club through the years had knowledge of or were involved.
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PlayGround was once a favourite spot for Liverpool celebrities but has now been closed for several years. In April 2019, it was reported that Liverpool One's Hilton Hotel was the subject of plans submitted to the council that could see a space on its ground floor converted to a casino.
The following year, plans to convert the former Liverpool nightclub into a conference centre, Grace Suite, were submitted to Liverpool Council. But to many, it won't feel all that long ago clubbing there and rubbing shoulders with local celebrities and stars.
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