London nightclub puts inclusivity at the forefront as Black History advocate

The Night Owl, an independent nightclub renowned for its soul and retro music, is celebrating the history of its Finsbury Park venue for National Inclusion Week 2022.

Formerly the renowned Silver Bullet, which closed in 2016 after much protest from the local music scene, The Night Owl’s London venue has since welcomed performances from celebrated soul artists including Leee John and Omar.

The venue is a strong supporter of Black history, having taken inspiration from Motown music which played an important role in racial integration in the 1950s. The Night Owl is empowering communities through its events, performances, and partnerships with the likes of ILive Community Radio, a local radio station which represents the diversity of the UK and European music scene.

Arith Liyanage, CEO and founder of The Night Owl, said: “Having been born in London and a man of colour myself, I’ve always been keen to support Black history and ensure my business follows suit. We have policies in place to support and encourage both employee and customer diversity.

“Our second Night Owl venue, opposite Finsbury Park station, was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. It has since been met with open arms from the local community and musicians alike.

“An extensive list of individuals are supporting us on our journey. From Jermain Jackman, local labour councillor and winner of The Voice series, to Leroy Logan MBE, founding member of the Black Police Association.”

Leroy Logan MBE commented: “As a patron of Voyage Youth and the current Chair of Transition 2 Adulthood, it has led me to work with young people within the Finsbury Park area, giving me an insight into the need for safe and secure spaces for people to socialise and enjoy themselves.

“One such venue in the area is The Night Owl, providing an eclectic mix of music events within a vibrant positive atmosphere. Since launching during the negative Covid era it has become a positive source of fun, making Finsbury Park a cool place, which has been desperately needed since I was a youngster in the area during the 60’s. Long may it continue!”

The Night Owl is focused on building a strong community by partnering with local businesses in the area. A spokesperson from neighbouring organisation Mento Flowers and Coffee, comments: “The Night Owl has brought life to a little spot in Finsbury Park. The owners are friendly, hardworking and the venue is extremely comfortable.

“We at Mento are incredibly happy having The Night Owl as neighbours. We often collaborate by offering flower arrangements for their events, and even have our own speciality ‘Mento’ cocktail with Jamaican rum.”

The Finsbury Park venue also offers in-house, high-end Caribbean fusion food as part of its brunch menu, inspired by Jamaican and Barbadian heritage.

The Night Owl opened its doors in 2015 and was the first-ever purpose-built Northern Soul and Motown club. It has venues in both Digbeth, Birmingham and Finsbury Park, London, offering a variety of live music events and club nights.

Celebrating its tenth year, National Inclusion Week is a week dedicated to celebrating inclusion and taking action to create inclusive workplaces.