From Formula One to Charing Cross Road: all good business for Rosanna Tolhurst who, following the opening of her second company's flagship venue in January, is already a viable candidate for businesswoman of the year. Before uni, Rosanna spent time in Italy and then Mexico before returning to Newcastle to bag a 2:1 in International Business Studies and Spanish. After some temping post-graduation, she landed a job with the FIA working out of Geneva, Paris and London. So, with four languages, a killer CV and an apparent licence to globe-trot, what brought her back to the capital - or, more specifically, back to its leisure market?
Well, a change of scene, apparently, and the opportunity to apply whiz-kid business strategies to ventures of her own. When the horizons of F1 started to feel over-familiar, Tolhurst turned her attention to leisure, and Orchid Viva - a promotion, production and media agency - was born. A year later came Samurai Leisure, developed for the purpose of acquiring, renovating and managing licensed premises. Cavernous central London venue Rouge is the money-where-the-mouth-is first venture. It works.
Set on the Camden side of Charing Cross Road, Rouge is a four-roomed, 700 capacity venue arranged over three floors. Samurai's recent conversion of the building is its third face-lift in three years - prising the grand space from prior occupants to give it a more appropriate re-hash and re-launch. The entrance, set back from the road along an open-air passageway that screams for red carpet, is through to a ground-floor champagne bar that's the perfect incarnation of a holding bar. Upstairs, a second square, grey, industrial room and third, ballroom-style space, extend the capacity, and a VIP loft above - the Samurai Lounge - completes the flexible, stylish package.
Arbiter Pro Audio supplied the JBL speakers specified by Santi Arribas in his dynamic sound design at Rouge. All five rooms feature JBL elements, chosen for their reliability, sound quality and suitability for the budget.
Arribas wanted to produce a high-clarity, uniform sound throughout the venue's different rooms - so there was no dramatic divergence in volume of texturing as people moved around the building. With a wide musical policy, embracing the current trends for Hip Hop and R 'n' B as well as stalwart genres like House and Old Skool, audio also had to deal with a wide range of styles, DJs and mixing philosophies.
The basement, ground floor and first floor all feature identical sound systems, comprising four JBL SP212-9 (with 90 degree dispersion) and an SP 128 sub.
"They were the best speakers for the job," says Arribas commenting on why he picked the Sound Power JBL series for the task.
The main room - audiologically a double decker version of the other rooms - pumps up the volume with eight SP212s and four SP128s.
At the top of the venue, the V-VIP room sound is delivered through four small but powerful JBL Control 28 speakers. Sound for all rooms is linked via a BSS Soundweb network, and amplification throughout is Crown.
Arribas' main challenge was dealing efficiently with the very short lead time once the green light was given for converting and kitting out the venue. Being an old building, and on five floors, cabling was galvanising and time consuming.
The design, done in house by Paul Fidgeon, "had to have longevity," explains Tolhurst. "It also had to comprise the potential to evolve". This effect was achieved with a streamlined and simple aesthetic comprising suede, leather, wood and glass, punctuated with funky artwork and understated use of unusual features - such as red perspex in the VIP. Low tables and stylishly mismatched brown leather sofas and armchairs are in place throughout. It's not revolutionary, but it is luxurious and intimate - two cliched adjectives, but nonetheless appropriate for a high-end venture.
Which is what Rouge is working out to be, as Rosanna intended. Though Tolhurst's personal CV might not have included spells behind bars, this lack of hours in the industry is made up for by the extended team, who have. All the business savvy in the world doesn't make up for targeted expertise, and thus the new team are people with experience in the leisure industry - in particular, people who're positioned to elevate this ex-lapdancing club into an uber-style venue to compete with Chinawhite, Elysium and Opium. Exclusivity in the top end of the London market is at a premium and Rouge, whilst maintaining inter-clique appeal, has stepped straight into the most exclusive category. So far, so fashionable.
Talking to Tolhurst, you get the impression that industry sexism, impending recession and wild licensing clerks wouldn't stop Samurai's progress. "We're in the business of substance and sustainability," as Tolhurst says.
And this sizeable venue - with its ample dance space, intimate corners, central location and aspirational attitude - is the best bricks and mortar for the job.
sound
Basement: 4 x JBL SP212-9 (90 degree dispersion); 1 x JBL SP128 sub
Ground floor: 4 x JBL SP212-9 (90 degree dispersion); 1 x JBL SP128 sub
First Floor: 4 x JBL SP212-9 (90 degree dispersion); 1 x JBL SP128 sub
Main room: 8 x JBL SP212; 4 x JBL SP128 sub
V-VIP: 4 x JBL Control 28 speaker
Ampification: 9 x Crown Pulse 2x1100; 7 x Crown Pulse 4x300; 1 x Crown XLS602
Network: 4 x BSS Soundweb SW9088
lighting
Ground floor: 4 x Martin MiniMAC; 1 x Martin Freaky DMX controller
Main room: 5 x Martin MX4 moving mirror; 1 x Martin Freaky DMX controller
links:
www.rougeclublondon.com