Nightshade (www.nightshade-club.org) have been running SM clubs in Edinburgh since September 2002, filling a void that was left when Violate stopped running Edinburgh clubs on a regular basis. On Sat 19th April, they held their first event in a new venue (Marcos). This review is specifically about that new venue, but also draws on earlier experience of Nightshade at the old venue.

Nightshade has a stricter dress code than other clubs in Scotland - strictly fetish or theme-of-the-night (Sat 19th was Village People). This, and the lack of a dance area, leads to a different crowd to other clubs - fewer goths and voyeurs, and more people there to play. It's a friendly atmosphere, new attendees are made welcome. Looking lost near the bar will almost always find someone coming up to talk to you. The door staff ask if you're new, and if so, will offer to have someone show you around and explain anything you want to know. The club rules are also posted at the door, and around the venue, and new attendees are explicitly asked to confirm they have read them. In particular, everyone is expected to know the club safeword - it's printed in very big type so you can't miss it.

The new venue is all in one room, with a bar at one end, and seating down one side, with the play area opposite. It's large enough not to feel crowded, but integrated enough to feel cozy. The equipment is also of very high quality - sturdy pieces that don't wiggle about when you use them. Much of it is made by Nightshade's own staff, specifically for the club. In the new venue, the club was experimenting with the use of camouflage netting to make some of the play areas semi-secluded - but the chosen locations for the netting left these areas in full view of the bar seating, which somewhat defeated the purpose.

As the club is in a studio within a leisure complex, walking in to the club meant walking through the leisure centre bar. Not knowing we would have to do this, my partner and I arrived in fetish clothing - which did draw some attention. The centre staff spotted us and very nicely escorted us to the studio, which saved us wandering around looking lost and dressed very strangely for such premises. The bar patrons got my best 'don't you dare comment' Domly stare as we walked past, and not a word was uttered; however, next time, we'll be getting changed when we get there.

There was one minor incident - someone got latex 'wet look' spray on a wooden floor, and this resulted in a few people slipping and falling. It was good to see how proficient Nightshade's resident first aiders are, though - and this could have happened at any club.

Nightshade is also very open to feedback - you can make a anonymous complaint on the website, and they address it and post replies there. This lets you see on the website, not only what the club venue, rules etc are - but what complaints people have made, and how they have been addressed over time, right back to the first club night. That attitude of openness extends to the staff on the night itself - talk to one of the staff members, and they will try and resolve your issues on the spot, if they can - or leave a note pinned to the notice board for a more anonymous comment.

In all, Nightshade is my favourite club in Scotland. I feel the dress code, and attentive nature of the staff ensure a more selective, friendly crowd. If you like to listen to music and dance, it's not the club for you, but if you like to play, or chat with friendly kinky people, it's the best.