The changing face of Cameo nightclub site in Bournemouth

Glen Fern House in Fir Vale Road has been acquired by property development company Fortitudo and Interceptor Opportunities.

It is currently home to Cameo Nightclub, Norwegian Wood Café, Oasis Fun and a multi-storey car park.

Cameo and MYU

Plans include a large nightclub, cinema and apartments.

The site has long been associated with some of the town centre’s most popular bars and nightclubs through the decades.

Here we take a look back at some of the clubs that have come and gone which may bring back memories of some fantastic (or not so fantastic) nights out.

Younger readers may remember Lava & Ignite which launched around 2008 and closed in 2013. It was known for nights such as Monday Madness and Band Wagon Wednesdays.

Meanwhile, the millenials and geriatric millennials (ugh) among us will have visited Elements nightclub. 

In 2007, Prince William shocked clubbers when he arrived with a group of army buddies from Bovington.

They spent the evening dancing on the podium and drinking Stella, leaving only when the club closed at around 3.20am, according to witnesses.

Neighbouring bar Slam was also popular for pre-drinks before clubbers headed into Elements to carry on the rest of their night.

• Read more: The Ritz to The Opera House: here's our list of 12 forgotten nights out in Bournemouth

Once owned by Richard Carr, the bar hosted Radio 1’s Dreem Team Presents, Hangover Cure show one Sunday morning in 2001.

Before Elements, Zoo and Cage was one of the hottest venues in town. Take a look at this queue of revellers waiting to get in from our archives.

• Read more: A look at old nightclubs then and now - did you go to all of them?

Before Zoo & Cage there was Zig Zag which opened in 1984 and closed in 1991 when both itelf and the adjacent Clouds nightclub became Zoo and Cage. 

Super Club Maison Royale opened in 1971, soon becoming the hottest spot in town. The concept consisted of the Masion Royale theatre restaurant that seated 700 people, Le Cardinal nightclub which could host 600 and originally had a U-shaped dance-floor, the Roof Top Hotel with its 52 rooms and The Outlook, Bournemouth’s first smart disco restaurant.

• Read more: Do you remember Bar Med nightclub? Are you one of the clubbers in our pictures?

Celebrities who visited the club included Roy Castle, Rod Hull, Cliff Richard, Vera Lynn, Frankie Howerd and Tony Christie among others, with Dave Lee Travis opening a new roller skating rink in 1981.

However, in August 1983, the Echo reported that Maison Royale was closing.

Norwegian Wood coffee lounge in Glen Fern Road has been popular with diners for decades.

It was billed as Bournemouth's very first coffee lounge when it opened in the 1960s.

It is known for its all day breakfasts and sandwiches.

Indoor leisure complex Oasis Fun Bournemouth was opened by former AFC Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe in October 2016.

It features a bowling alley, adventure golf and diner and was the creation of builder and former AFC Bournemouth chairman Norman Hayward.