Millie’s Nightclub

At the club’s meeting on 2 August, Millie Rowlands spoke about Millie’s Nightclub, an organisation she founded.

Millie originally got the idea to set up a night club for adults with disabilities from her younger sister who has cerebral palsy. As her sister became an adult she became more frustrated by people of her age going out at night, having a few drinks, having fun, and dancing, which are all things that she felt unsafe to do. Millie took her sister to a normal night club but she found that difficult to cope with so being her older sister and working in the disability field, Millie saw there was a great potential to create a safe environment for all people with disabilities to experience a night club environment, and have the freedom and choice to do as others do.

It was set up on the spur of the moment; she had no idea about funding or sponsorship at the time. Working then for the owners of Brass Monkey, a pub in Hastings, she went to them and asked for the venue, which they gave to her free of charge, and got her friends to work the door and bar, which they did voluntarily. She made up posters and fliers and took them round to the care homes and day centres that she knew of, and on 17th June 2006, Millie’s was born.

Several months down the line they moved to the Conquest Social Club, a great little venue, but it was too small and the social club of the local hospital - raising the question, who goes clubbing at a hospital?

A few months later Krash, a venue attached to the Chatsworth Hotel in Hastings, opened up as a nightclub with full disability access (including a toilet) and a light-up dance floor and proved perfect for Millie’s needs; now renamed the Green Room, they have been there ever since.

Such has been the success of the nightclub that she has opened one in Eastbourne at the Chasley Trust in Sea Road. Both clubs meet once a month and the minimum age for entry is18. The Hastings venue has around 150 people attending and with carers sometimes in excess of 200, whilst the Eastbourne venue has between 40 and 60 people. At the same time as making sure that the customers have fun, Millie is also trying to encourage independence, which is why they charge a small entry fee, and encourage the venues that they use not to alter their bar prices. Carers go free.

Millie employs two resident DJs, both with disabilities, who do a fantastic job of keeping the music flowing and the dancers going, and other staff to help out. Apart from the normal disco they occasionally have a live band, a local group performance, a themed night and even karaoke!

The nightclubs have been self-financing up to now but the Hastings venue is now charging for the hire and rising costs are making it harder. Despite this, Millie is looking to expand and is looking for alternative accessible venues in Hastings.  Millie is also looking at how she can safeguard the nightclubs for the future and is seeking to register as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO)

Millie is also the CEO of Boathouse Theatre Arts, based at Glyne Gap School, Bexhill. Boathouse is a performing arts project for children and young adults 16+ who are in supported education or training. Many children and young adults in supported learning socialise only in their school, college or place of training; the theatre group provides a base where students can meet regularly and take part in a creative process which works towards showcasing their skills. Boathouse provides a variety of theatre arts delivered by professional teachers, artists and committed volunteers which include drama, dance, singing and signing choir, theatre crafts and music workshops.

Should you know of any possible venues or know disabled people who may benefit from going along to one of the night clubs, please email Millie at contact-us@millies-nightclub.co.uk