Nightclubs have been the meeting place for many a young romance, the stage for many famous musicians and the makeshift boxing ring for many punch-ups - but memories made on sweaty dance floors are something we hold dear.

KentOnline has looked back at some of the much-loved venues we have lost across the county - where we wish we could have one more boogie in...

Atomics, Maidstone

In 1991 Maidstone DJ Mick Clark converted an old warehouse on Hart Street into Atomics, which became a legendary dance music venue.

Boy George, Carl Cox, Paul Oakenfold, Judge Jules and other big names were seen there before it sadly closed in 2001.

The building has now been converted into flats.

Wonderland, Maidstone

This club was just down the road from Atomics within Lockmeadow and closed in July 2015.

Previously, it was called Liquid and Envy, and had been a nightclub since the late 1990s.

It is now Gravity trampoline park.

Dusty’s/Liquid, Ashford

The 118-year-old flour mill in East Hill has had many names and spent a long time as an iconic night-out venue.

It closed as a working mill in 1972 and remained unused until it hit the headlines in 1974 when a catastrophic fire devastated part of the building.

It was transformed into Ashford's first nightclub, Dusty's and the Jolly Miller, in 1981.

The club closed in 1990, when the owner of the mill reportedly abandoned the business owing thousands of pounds.

It then became Cales Nightclub and Flatfoot Sam's from December 1990 to 2001

After a few different owners, the club underwent a £500,000 facelift in 2002 and was rebranded as Liquid.

The former nightclub closed in recent times when the landmark was bought by Ashford School and business was transferred to the one-time NV Night club in Station Approach which became Hustle.

M20, Ashford

What is now a place to enjoy a plate of peri peri chicken was once an exciting raving destination.

The M20 nightclub opened in the early 00s in Eureka Park, in what would become Nando's and Chiquitos.

It became the first club in Britain to receive a Superclub award in 2004.

The nightclub shut in 2005 and the unit remained empty for three years after its closure before becoming Strawberry Moons.

It then became Rain, and finally Arena Live before the restaurants moved in.

The Funky Monkey, Dover

One that was still recently with us, the Funky Monkey closed in December last year.

Dover District Council says the building is part of an ambitious plan to transform that "neglected" part of the town.

According to sketches produced by the local authority, it would be replaced with a business centre and an East Kent College School of Art & Design.

The club is set to be demolished after running for 16 years.

Moo Moo, Gillingham

It has not always been known by the cow-sound name - previously it was called Bliss and before that Preach.

There were three rooms, with DJs playing RnB and pop, plus a disco hits downstairs.

In the 80s it was known as Catch 22, then The Ritzy and by the 90s it was called The Zone.

But it was transformed in 2016 into Moo Moo in Canterbury Street.

The club closed down in 2019 and is still sitting empty.

Bar Rio, Gillingham

Originally called the Central Hotel, It then changed name to the Avenue and in 1986.

It became Bar Rio in the 1990s but the nightclub was demolished in the late 1990s to early 2000s and replaced by housing that now occupies the site.

At one point, it cost only 50p to get through the doors.

Excalibur, Gillingham

This one was a legendary clubbing destination within the King Charles Hotel.

Rap duo Salt-N-Pepa, cult icon Rick Astley and heart throbs Bros also made appearances as the Gillingham venue welcomed revellers from far and wide throughout the 80s and 90s.

It was known as The Regency in 1982 before its final incarnation as Excalibur — which enjoyed a hugely successful run which last from 1989 until its close in 1998.

In 2018, a 90s themed goodbye night was hosted before the building was demolished to make way for houses.

Krystals, Chatham

This former party bar along the A2 in Chatham will soon become flats as planning was approved last month.

Krystals and Vanity Bar closed in 2013 due to the owner, Sanjay Raval, suffering from health issues.

There was hope a new owner would be found, but the site fell into disrepair, and is now on the road to becoming homes.

Onyx/The Priz, Folkestone

In October 2015 the much-loved club, known affectionately known as The Priz due to it's former name La Parisienne, announced its closure to the shock of punters.

Plans were already in the works to knock down the venue after Historic England rejected a bid to save The Priz that November.

However, in March 2016, devastated onlookers saw it reduced to rubble as a fire tore through the building.

Now, the foundations of the nightclub are nowhere to be seen, hidden under shingle on Folkestone beach.

The Leas Club, Folkestone

This Grade II-listed night-time hot spot closed in 2008.

First opening as a nightclub in the 1980s, the building fell into a state of disrepair after shutting down.

It is now in the process of being redeveloped with nine-storeys of modern flats, but retaining aspects of the historical site.

There was controversy when diggers rolled in to take apart the building, however developers Gustavia reassured that the structure will be re-constructed and restored to its former glory.

Amadeus/Passion, Strood

Amadeus in Strood, known by regulars as Amadangerous or Ammo, was Kent's biggest-ever nightclub, opening in 1997.

Every weekend, hundreds of glammed-up dancers would head to the club and make the most of £1 drinks before 11pm.

The venue even had it's own burger bar.

After being renamed Passion, it closed for good in 2011.

Amadeus is now home to a Hollywood Bowl.

Club Caprice, Margate

Club Caprice, in Cliftonville, was in operation from the 1960s up until 2016.

Caprice was popular with late-night drinkers due to its 6am closing time.

Prior to its closure, it was dubbed "Jurassic Park" by locals because of its older clientele.

Plans to transform the site into an art gallery, wedding venue and community centre called The Neon Ballroom were given the green light by Thanet District Council in November last year.

Escape, Margate

This party spot was just a stone's throw from the iconic Dreamland theme park on Marine Terrace.

It was formerly known as Buzz, and shut its doors in late 2014 to early 2015.

In June 2017, bar Ziggy's opened on the roof for two summer seasons, before restaurant Barletta - which recently closed for good - took over the spot for a 12-week residency.

In 2019, plans were approved to demolish the building to make way for a new Dreamland hotel which will also contain a gymnasium, meeting rooms, a shop or café with frontage onto Marine Terrace, a restaurant and bar at the ground floor and a new rooftop bar.

The building still stands for now.

Franks, Cliftonville

Staying in Margate, this clubbing venue in Ethelbert Crescent, was previously run by Frank Thorley who sadly passed away last month.

In 2009, it closed down and was sold.

It was once a popular spot with two-for-one offers, ladies' nights and under-18s events

Now, the building is home to Rendezvous restaurant.

Carriages, Tunbridge Wells

Carriages in Tunbridge Wells was possibly the most short-lived Kent club.

It was situated in The Great Hall, a huge French-style function hall with a library which was built in the 1870s.

Carriages nightclub opened in 1979 but was destroyed just a year later in what appeared to be an arson attack, resulting in its demolition.

In November 1983, planning permission was granted to redevelop the site while retaining the original façade.

It now contains shops and is known as The Great Hall Arcade.

Studio 41, Canterbury

While another night-time bar sits near the spot where Studio once did, this club is very much missed.

Studio 41 was in St Georges Place, Canterbury. Dancers graced the floor for the last time in 2011 and the site was knocked down and developed into student housing.

It used to occupy the same space as Plant Lazer and was above supermarket Netto.

There was uproar when the nightclub shut down, and a Facebook group called Don't Let Studio 41 Die was set up.

Chez Laurie, Herne Bay

An Art Deco nightclub built in 1935, Chez Laurie was once the place to be for Kent clubbers.

The former club had a unique appearance. The distinctive three-storey building contained unusual-looking aircraft wings sticking out of the sides.

It was found at Hawthorn Corner, just off the Thanet Way towards Herne Bay, and served its last drink in the late 1980s.

The historic building deteriorated to the point that it could not be repaired and had to be demolished as a result.

The Front, Herne Bay

The front was part of Talk of the Town right on the seafront, and shared the building amusement arcade and casino.

It has had various names over the years, including New York and Show Bar.

The owners sold the venue in 2018 after suffering with rising tax and costs of the casino.

After the sale, Talk of The Town became a events venue called Vibe and a cocktail bar called Captain Jack's.

Stage Three, Sheppey

Leysdown venue Stage Three used to be a major attraction for lovers of jazz, funk and soul music in the late 70s and early 80s.

Founded by Robert and Mark Wilson in 1979, it took influences for its lighting and sound from famous New York haunts like Studio 54 and Paradise Garage.

World famous DJs including Tim Westwood and Pete Tong used to perform sets there, but it was forced to shut after a fire in September 1989.

Now a car park and sometimes a market, the much loved former club had a popular reunion night in 2014.

Brewery Bar, Whitstable

Brewery Bar, owned by Whitstable Oyster Company, was right on the seafront.

This venue on the East Quay has its licence revoked in 2009 after a customer allegedly had his ear bitten off during a brawl.

It is now a bar and seafood restaurant within a wedding venue called East Quay Venue.

AMP/SOS, Tonbridge

At the time of its closure on Christmas Eve 2017, AMP, which was previously known as Source of Sound, was Tonbridge's only nightclub.

There was heartbreak from regulars as plans revealed disco would be turned into 14 new flats and a gym.

After closing, it was a community creative space called Hub for a while.

The site has not been transformed as of yet, despite two separate planning applications for the development of apartments.

Industry, Dartford

Interestingly, this club had an over-21s rule while it was known as Industry, having previously been called Crush.

It was opened as Dartford Sports Bar in March 2022, after the nightclub closed.

This venue was found in Spital Street, and had soul nights on a Thursday, Friday nights with hits from past eras and DJ sets on Saturdays.

Deja Vu, Swanley

Deja Vu Nightclub was in Birchwood Corner, and was a pub called the Bull Inn prior to becoming a club in the 80s.

It shut down and sat unused for years until several fires made it unrepairable, and it was knocked down.

In 2003, a driver ran over a collapsed clubber twice outside the venue.

It is now a Premier Inn.

JJ's, Sittingbourne

JJ's has had a few names, including Base and Fat Sam's and was found within Bell Shopping Centre in Sittingbourne.

It was eventually lost to the town, and the shopping centre collapsed in 2013.

One former: "The night it closed Tim Westwood got locked out of his motor and I remember having a chat with him in the car park whist his entourage broke into the truck so they could all go home."

Plans are in the works to transform the derelict site into 165 flats, a medical centre and a pharmacy.

Strawberry Moons, Maidstone

There was a hell of a party going on at Strawberry Moons in the 1990s and Noughties.

Many an epic night was had at the Gabriels Hill nightspot, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2002.

And thanks to our Face in the Crowd competition, where party animals would send in their clubbing photos for the chance to win a £10 drinks voucher, we have tonnes of pictures in our archives to help remember the good times.

Strawberry Moons closed in 2017 after 25 unforgettable years of revelry in Maidstone.

Jumpin Jaks, Maidstone

Known for cheesy music, fancy dress, colourful alcohol and dancing bar staff, it was once THE place to end a night out.

And Pop Idol star Darius Danesh - fresh off chart-topping success with single Colourblind - was among the revellers in 2002.

The building is now home to Hollywood Bowl.

Merlins Bar, Sheppey

Clubbers enjoyed many a good night at Club Space, part of Merlins Bar.

Not everyone was happy though. A petition signed by 47 people living near the Leysdown venue in 2002 objected to its licence being renewed.

It was Sheppey's largest entertainment complex, with stars like Doctor Hook, Jim Davidson, Jimmy Jones, Bobby Davro and Chas ‘n’ Dave appearing over the decades. But the legendary venue closed in 2019.