CLOSED, FOR NOW?: Spiders. Picture credit: Andy Roe / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0
By Rick Lyon, Co-Editor
People interested in exploring community ownership of Spiders have come forward following the closure of the much-loved Hull nightclub.
Hull City Council leader Councillor Mike Ross said he has been contacted by people keen to work together to investigate whether the Cleveland Street venue could be brought into community ownership.
He is now encouraging others to get involved, warning it would be “tragic” for the club, which opened in 1979, to be lost forever.
The approach follows the owners’ announcement that Spiders has closed with immediate effect and will be put up for sale.
Known for its alternative music and distinctive cocktails, Spiders has been a fixture of nights out in Hull for generations, attracting a loyal following with its independent approach.
Coun Ross said: “I know just how much Spiders means to so many people both here in Hull and further afield.
“It would be tragic to see this venue closed forever and we have seen with the response following the announcement from the current owners just how strongly people feel about the place.
“I was encouraged that having commented on the news I was quickly contacted by people who want to find a way to see a community-led ownership model come forward for Spiders.
“If this is something you would be keen to be involved with, I would love to hear from you. Alongside my team at the council, we all recognise that this is an institutional pillar of the city and one that must be protected.”
The community ownership suggestion remains at an exploratory stage, with those interested being invited to help establish whether a proposal could be developed.
Announcing the closure on its Facebook page, the owners of Spiders said: “We are sad to inform you that due to personal and external situations, Spiders Club has closed, it will be put up for sale on the open market, including the freehold; as they say, Lock Stock and Barrel.
“We know closing the club will come as a great shock to many of you, as the club is financially sound and doing well, but there comes a time, after 46 years of loving our club and what it gave to the people of Kingston upon Hull, that now is the right time to hopefully pass it on to others, who will carry it forward with the same enthusiasm, idealism and integrity that we started so many years ago.
“We appreciate that many of you will be upset by the club closing, but please remember, as the saying goes, time and tide wait for no man or woman, and for us, being upset doesn’t even come close.
“To all our loyal and respected customers, take care and thanks for being a part of our journey.
“Pete / Lynne / Keri.”
Spiders built its reputation around a music policy spanning punk, goth, grunge and metal, alongside affordable drinks and an informal dress code.
Its published history describes a privately owned club, established by a Hull couple and run by the same people since it opened, which relied on word of mouth to attract customers.
That independent identity helped make it one of Hull’s most recognisable nightlife venues, with its Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster cocktail and toasted crumpets among its familiar features.
The club’s place in the city’s cultural life is also reflected in a new play due to be staged at Hull Truck Theatre early next year.
Written by and starring Hull-born Martha Godber, Spiders follows two teenage friends whose Saturday nights at the club form the backdrop to a story about friendship and growing up.
The production, directed by Tom Saunders, is scheduled to run in the Godber Studio from January 28 to February 13, 2027.