The Most Controversial Club in Britain Is on a Random Bit of Wasteland

Initially, it was just a bench the 52-year-old former karaoke DJ erected in the waste ground between his rented flat and the dual carriageway behind it. Now, Starnights includes a stage, a bar, a mini beach and a shed that Dave calls “the mancave” – it’s like Glastonbury’s Shangri-La plonked in the middle of a quiet residential area. 

Open from 10AM to 10PM, Starnights advertises itself as a disco diner and a love shack that sells tea and coffee, cheese toasties and ice lollies. Music can be anything from a school disco compilation to Dave’s favourite, “Sweet Caroline” by Neil Diamond, and you’ll get sensory overload from the amount of stuff he’s managed to pack into the small stretch of land, from amps, TVs and jukeboxes to a kennel for his dog, which, right on brand, is called Star. Then there’s the merch, including the hi-vis jacket with Starnights printed across the back that Dave wears as the club’s sole security guard. 

“Robbie Williams will perform here” is one of the first things Dave says of his plans for Starnights, which isn’t such a reach, given that Robbie’s hometown of Stoke-on-Trent is a 25-minute drive away. Dave sees himself as an entrepreneur in the vein of Richard Branson, and he’s got other ambitious plans, too: Perhaps he’ll add a rollercoaster one day. But not if the other locals have anything to do with it.

While Dave has put a lot of effort into creating Starnights, it’s all a bit ramshackle and not strictly legal, given that the land on which Dave has built his life’s work belongs to the local council. It’s clear from the angry posts on one of the local Facebook groups that many consider it a safety hazard, given its lack of a proper toilet and the questionable building work of its various structures made from bits of found wood.

Cheshire East Council isn’t impressed either. A spokesperson said: “The council has made repeated requests to the individual concerned to desist from occupying this piece of land, which is the property of Cheshire East Council, and to remove all the structure and paraphernalia and his personal belongings. The council may be left with no alternative but to take legal action but, in the meantime, we hope that the gentleman will agree to our requests to vacate the land and remove his possessions before any further action is taken.”

Still, Dave’s determined to carry on. As he downs a pint from Starnights’ ‘Carling Club’ – essentially a fridge with a six-pack that he’s happy to share with any patrons for a donation, he regales his life story. He was raised on a farm, where he learned to build anything out of nothing. After a stint at a taxi company and run-ins with the law, he entered a long period of unemployment stemming from his mental health issues – he has bipolar disorder. He says he was motivated to start the club-cum-community space when he lost everything, including his old garden, in an arson attack on his house ten years ago. He says he’s built Starnights for the people of Congleton and to pass on to his five children. “When I’m gone, I’ll be there,” he says, pointing to an area within Starnights that he’s earmarked for his grave. “And every 12 months on the anniversary, just like with Elvis, the people of Congleton will look after what I’ve done.”

Congleton radio presenter Stuart Neild made a YouTube video about Starnights and caught a lot of flak from residents for bringing attention to Disco Dave’s activities. “I made it to show what happens when there’s a lack of funding for local councils and community services and cutting back on mental health services nationally and locally. People like Dave end up slipping through the net,” Stuart tells VICE over the phone. “What should have happened is for Dave to have been given the opportunity to build Starnights legally somewhere like a community centre, where he could have been supervised and adhered to rules and regulations.” He adds: “People are uncomfortable when we shine a light on it, but if we don’t, things will get worse.”

Whatever else it is, Starnights is also a microcosm of the state of Britain today. On the one hand, it’s an illegally run club evoking the decimation of UK nightlife, where small venues are shutting under cost-of-living pressures. On the other, it illustrates increasingly hostile relations between residents and their local councils, which are usually more interested in selling off land to property developers than investing in services. Ultimately, it’s one man’s effort to make something of his life following personal tragedy, and it’s open seven days a week – for now.