Famed Joy Eslava nightclub closes due to covid-19 pandemic

Famed Joy Eslava nightclub closes forever after almost 40 years of history

The famous nightclub in the center of Madrid will soon become a restaurant with performances -  remodeling work has already begun. In its almost 40 years of history, Joy Eslava has played a role in the lives of "beautiful people" and protagonists of the Madrid Movida counterculture movement.

Joy Eslava, the historic discotheque on Arenal Street in Madrid has closed forever. After having remained inactive since the beginning of the Covid pandemic, the owner of the club, Pedro Trapote, has decided to close its doors.

Sources say that the large premises will become a restaurant-showroom in the near future. In fact, the transformation of the business has already begun.

The Joy Eslava nightclub opened its doors on 24 February 1981, one day after the attempted coup d'état by Tejero.  Trapote had acquired the room from its previous owner, the actor and theater director Luis Escobar, to turn it into one of the most famous entertainment venues in Europe.

The place soon became a focal point of the celebrity scene that emerged as a result of the financial boom of the early eighties. “Beautiful people” who appeared in the economy pages of newspapers, as well as on the covers of the magazines who suddenly became famous.  Those who built what was later called the "Movida madrileña" also passed through.

It is estimated that in the almost forty years of history of the discotheque, more than 20 million night owls have danced on its dance floor or had drinks in its private rooms.

From theater to television set 

During the first years of operation as a discotheque, Joy also served as a television set. It was a stage where the weekly Spanish TV music program 'Aplauso' was recorded. 

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Previously, and under the name of Teatro Eslava (surname of its first owner, Bonifacio Eslava, who was the nephew of the musician Hilarión Eslava), the place was one of the most famous stages in Madrid. Its more than one thousand seats witnessed the successes of Celia Gámez, Nati Mistral, Concha Velasco and Norma Duval, among other stars.

A fire and a fur coat

Around Christmas 1998, while in full operation, Joy Eslava suffered a spectacular fire that destroyed the vault and the roof, without, fortunately, any victims.

A party was held that night, attended by numerous celebrities from the art world. Eyewitnesses say that when the fire started, those responsible for Joy asked people to leave the room immediately, but "some folkloric woman stopped in the closet to get back her exuberant fur coat". 

After several months of being closed, it began its activity again, which dried up completely last March as a consequence of the sanitary measures decreed for the spread of the coronavirus. 

Finally, Joy Eslava, the mythical Joy (the Joy, according to those who know it), has not resisted through the closure, and its space will soon be occupied by a large restaurant.

The new company confirms the change of business

The new property of the business on Arenal Street issued a statement on Wednesday through social networks a statement which confirmed "the maintenance of the quality leisure offer that it has been providing in the city of Madrid since 1981.! 

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The statement explained that "the renovation of Joy Eslava promises to mark the beginning of a new stage in Madrid nightlife, becoming one of the most spectacular and avant-garde rooms in Europe incorporating the most innovative equipment and services. 

"At this moment the venue prefers not to provide further information, and wait for the right moment to present the new project publicly and officially".