Calendar An icon of a desk calendar. Cancel An icon of a circle with a diagonal line across. Caret An icon of a block arrow pointing to the right. Email An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of the Facebook "f" mark. Google An icon of the Google "G" mark. Linked In An icon of the Linked In "in" mark. Logout An icon representing logout. Profile An icon that resembles human head and shoulders. Telephone An icon of a traditional telephone receiver. Tick An icon of a tick mark. Is Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes. Is Not Public An icon of a human eye and eyelashes with a diagonal line through it. Pause Icon A two-lined pause icon for stopping interactions. Quote Mark A opening quote mark. Quote Mark A closing quote mark. Arrow An icon of an arrow. Folder An icon of a paper folder. Breaking An icon of an exclamation mark on a circular background. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Caret An icon of a caret arrow. Clock An icon of a clock face. Close An icon of the an X shape. Close Icon An icon used to represent where to interact to collapse or dismiss a component Comment An icon of a speech bubble. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Comments An icon of a speech bubble, denoting user comments. Ellipsis An icon of 3 horizontal dots. Envelope An icon of a paper envelope. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Camera An icon of a digital camera. Home An icon of a house. Instagram An icon of the Instagram logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. Magnifying Glass An icon of a magnifying glass. Search Icon A magnifying glass icon that is used to represent the function of searching. Menu An icon of 3 horizontal lines. Hamburger Menu Icon An icon used to represent a collapsed menu. Next An icon of an arrow pointing to the right. Notice An explanation mark centred inside a circle. Previous An icon of an arrow pointing to the left. Rating An icon of a star. Tag An icon of a tag. Twitter An icon of the Twitter logo. Video Camera An icon of a video camera shape. Speech Bubble Icon A icon displaying a speech bubble WhatsApp An icon of the WhatsApp logo. Information An icon of an information logo. Plus A mathematical 'plus' symbol. Duration An icon indicating Time. Success Tick An icon of a green tick. Success Tick Timeout An icon of a greyed out success tick. Loading Spinner An icon of a loading spinner. Facebook Messenger An icon of the facebook messenger app logo. Facebook An icon of a facebook f logo. Facebook Messenger An icon of the Twitter app logo. LinkedIn An icon of the LinkedIn logo. WhatsApp Messenger An icon of the Whatsapp messenger app logo. Email An icon of an mail envelope. Copy link A decentered black square over a white square.
Past Times

Gallery: Do you feature in our past party photos from The Pearl Lounge?

The Pearl Lounge was a popular noughties nightspot in Aberdeen. The former Dee Street church was the first in the city to be transformed from a place to pray to a place to party in 1981, under its previous incarnation Gabriel's.
Kirstie Waterston
2007: Jill Cummings, in pink hat, has a Birthday Night in the Pearl Lounge. Image: DC Thomson
2007: Jill Cummings, in pink hat, has a Birthday Night in the Pearl Lounge. Image: DC Thomson

The Pearl Lounge nightclub opened in December 2006 promising to be “very different” to other Aberdeen venues.

The club had reopened after a six-month revamp to the tune of £900,000.

But the once-popular Pearl Lounge in Dee Street had a number of guises over the years.

It was the first ecclesiastical building in Aberdeen to give way to ‘demon drink’ over divine declamation when it was turned into a nightspot in 1981.

Previously St Columba Free Church, which served the Gaelic speakers of Aberdeen, it became a dancing school for five years.

Then came its transformation into Gabriel’s club, presumably a nod to the archangel.

The opening of The Pearl Lounge in Dee Street on December 7 2006. Image: DC Thomson

Retaining its impressive windows, vaulted ceiling, and with a central bar in the nave, it was described as a “sophisticated drinking spot”.

Keeping up with the religious theme – as far as names were concerned, at least – the club later became known as The Ministry.

It traded under this name until 2006 when the venue underwent a complete overhaul to become popular noughties venue The Pearl Lounge, run by Epic Group.

Spread over two floors, the club featured a five-metre gilded projection screen, dramatic lighting features and a VIP area.

It closed for refurbishment in 2014 and has been shut ever since, but perhaps these photos will bring back some memories…

Gallery: 25 photos of party pictures at The Pearl Lounge in 2006 and 2007

Hana Sheran, Richard Polignano, Corla Macgill, and Becky Anderson. Image: DC Thomson
Terry Johnson and Daniel Duncan. Image: DC Thomson
Looking glam were Emma McRobbie, Kirsten Thomson and Megan Johnston. Image: DC Thomson
From left, Laura Kemp, Angela Voigt, Cassie Ross and Alison Voigt. Image: DC Thomson
Greg Yeates and Craig Tennent. Image: DC Thomson
From left, Ryan Anderson, Paul Green, Shaun Thomson, Lee Adam and Mark Duncan. Image: DC Thomson
Lauren Webster and Ariane McCallan. Image: DC Thomson
Group of pals Tara Ratcliffe, Latoya Ford, Chris May, Layla Willox and Jessica Ellis enjoy a night at Pearl Lounge. Image: DC Thomson
Natalie Marcella and Erin Park enjoying on a night out. Image: DC Thomson
All dressed up for Stacey Turner’s leaving night. She is pictured third right with friends. Image: DC Thomson
Julie Campbell, Andrea Hay and Gloria Officer enjoyed a night out at Pearl. Image: DC Thomson
Gav Brunton and Hannah Shackleton. Image: DC Thomson
Jill Cummings, front in pink hat, enjoyed her birthday night out with pals in the Pearl Lounge. Image: DC Thomson
It was a girls’ night out for Katrina McIlwaine, Emma McTurk and Dianne Carmichael. Image: DC Thomson
From left, Claire Still, Gary McNamee, Mark Keith, Sarah Christie and Scott Wilson. Image: DC Thomson
Lyndsey Cumming, Sheryl Lee Milne, Lynn Wisemen and Laura Jackson. Image: DC Thomson
Posing for our party pics photographer were Steve Greenwood, Steve Campbell and Aaron Ritchie. Image: DC Thomson
Zia Shamsi, second left, was celebrating his 26th birthday with friends at Pearl Lounge. Image: DC Thomson
Louisa Wilkie and Sarah Hunter enjoying a catch up in 2007. Image: DC Thomson
Pals Daryl Thomson, Steven Buchan, Lynne Kidd, Jennie Hay and David McFarlane. Image: DC Thomson
Laura MacKay and Cheryl McEwen. Image: DC Thomson
The opening night of Pearl Lounge, December 7 2006. From left, Julie Gellatly, Kirsty Smith, Brent Walker, Shereen Shearer and Tracy Linklater. Image: DC Thomson
Lauren Aigo, left, celebrates her 19th with friend Amy Cross at Pearl Lounge. Image: DC Thomson
Daniel Young, Craig Rumbles and Jordan Jeffrey posing in Pearl Lounge. Image: DC Thomson
Suzanne Dawber and Ami Clubb enjoy a cocktail in Pearl Lounge. Image: DC Thomson

If you liked this, you might enjoy:

Conversation