Latest news with #YorkNightlife
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Exhibition in York celebrates legacy of famous Willow nightclub
The legacy of an "important and symbolic" city nightclub famous for its free prawn crackers and decades-spanning pop playlist is to be celebrated at a special Willow was a family-run Cantonese restaurant and disco which was a nightlife staple in York for over 40 years between 1973 and the 10th anniversary of its closure, the free exhibition in the city would let people relive "the stories, the friendship, the love" through archive footage, memorabilia and anecdotes, organisers Fong, daughter of Willow owner Tommy Fong, said: "Some people hated it, some people loved it - but it just evoked so many different emotions." The Willow Experience exhibition, being held on Friday 13 June as part of York Festival of Ideas, would feature a series of six short archive films exploring the venue's 42-year history, Ms Fong would include punters' memories from over the decades, interviews with the Fong family, and footage from the final club would also be memorabilia, merchandise emblazoned with the "Love It Or Hate It?" logo - and even prawn crackers to snack on. "To be able to put together the legacy of my family's business, and for it to be visible and available to everybody, is incredible," Ms Fong said. Her parents had not previously understood the huge role The Willow had played in York's nightlife for such a long time, Ms Fong explained."I think for my parents, they were just working really long hours," she said."[My dad] was just consumed in the job and I don't think he realised the impact he had on people."Trying to explain to him how important and symbolic it became in people's lives, I think it's only since we started putting the archive together he's starting to understand."Ms Fong said The Willow Experience exhibition was a collaboration between the digital consultancy agency she had co-founded and the StreetLife York project, led by the University of York in partnership with the city council, York Civic Trust and York Music Venues between 2022-23, and originally focused on the history of Coney Street, Ms Fong said that after so many contributors to StreetLife York mentioned The Willow, the university made the venue the subject of a separate project."I think that's what's really lovely about it. When you talk about The Willow, it does evoke different responses," she said."Some people hated it, some people loved it - but it just evoked so many different emotions." Ms Fong said that as part of Friday's event, she would divulge some behind-the-scenes secrets about The Willow, including the story behind the famous hand-drawn illustrations decorating the nightclub's walls. She said she still regularly received emails from people wanting to put on "a Willow-themed hen do or a Willow-themed wedding".She explained she had even received a request from a couple who had recently had a baby and wanted a customised artwork celebrating the nightclub to hang over her crib. "The concept of that is just bonkers - having artwork from a late-night disco that was also a Chinese restaurant," Ms Fong said."When you look at the business, you think nobody would ever propose that as a business model. But it just seemed to work."There's something really beautiful about that, and I think the beauty is the stories and the friendship and the love."The Willow Experience is due to take place at The Basement, City Screen Picturehouse, on Coney Street, between 18:00 BST and 19:00 BST on Friday 13 June. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Brilliant York night out for the food and disco - but the toilets were awful!'
Here are the key facts, memories and photos in our look back at The Willow in York NEWS that one of York's most popular ever nightspots is to 'return' for one night only sent us delving into our archive, if not quite dusting down our dancing shoes. The Willow – the legendary York Chinese restaurant-turned disco in Coney Street, which closed ten years ago – is set to return to York for one night this month. The Willow Experience is part of the York Festival of Ideas and will allow those attending to 're-experience the Willow'. The event, on June 14, from 6pm to 7pm, involves the Willow Archives Stories, a series of six short archive films that share memories from the challenges and joys experienced by the family-run business, as well as why residents loved it and the venue's special last night. 1999: The Willow Restaurant, Coney Street. The screenings will mark the 10th anniversary of the Willow's closure and the launch of the Willow Community Digital Archive, a StreetLife project focusing on the communities of Coney Street. Admission is free but booking is required. Find out more here. To mark the resurrection of the Willow – albeit – for one night only, we have put together this gallery of images from the iconic night spot. Readers have also been commenting on the 'come-back' and sharing memories of their nights at The Willow; here is a selection: below, followed by The Willow in York essential fact file: Members of our nostalgia Facebook group, Why We Love York - Memories had some fine recollections to share about nights at York's most unusual disco Rosie Brannan wrote: "Absolutely loved The Willow; Chinese at it's best. Was so sorry to lose it." Julian Schofield posted: "Loved that place and Tommy - great nights spent there with the staff of Elliot's - would love for us all to meet up there on that night." 2015: Tommy and Sue Fong of The Willow in Coney Street, pictured ahead of its closing weekend. Picture- Frank Dwyer Richard Gatecliffe said: "Always had a great night there." Rebecca Kelly said: "Brilliant night out, food and disco etc, but the toilets were awful!" Sally Rowlinson recalled: "Your feet stuck to the floor." Legendary restaurant set to return to York for one night 'experience' First look: Pop-up bar and food stall from top TV chef opens in York 'It was the perfect storm' - real reasons behind sudden closure of York shop Meet the artist who draws York's best-loved pubs, shops and restaurants 1. The Willow in Coney Street has been part of York's social scene for decades; it dates back almost 90 years to 1936 when it was a cafe, of the same name. 2. In 1973, Tommy Fong took it over and it became one of York's more unusual - but super-popular - late-night spots. Part Chinese restaurant, part late-night disco, generations had enjoyed a late night bop at The Willow alongside a bowl of chow mein or a dish of prawn crackers. 3. Accessed through a set of steep steps, a night at The Willow was a must-do for locals and visitors alike. Inside The Willow Chinese Disco which closed its doors forever on Sunday 26 July 2015 4. When news broke that the much-loved venue was to close, more than 400 people signed a petition in protest. 5. A spoof video, titled Hitler Reacts to the News That Willow is Closing, also attracted almost 12,000 hits on YouTube. 6. Speaking to The Press back in 2015, owner Tommy Fong revealed why it had to close. He said his lease for the premises from its owner Aviva had expired in 2012, since when he had operated under a 'tenancy at will' lease, allowing the landlord to terminate it at any time, and he had been given four weeks to vacate the building. 7. It was an end of an era when The Willow staged its last dance on Sunday July 26, 2015. For die hard fans, York's night life was never the same again.
