Rahel Aklilu in VICE

In Greek mythology, the Styx is a river that marks the boundary between Earth and the underworld. As bad as the gentrification of Tottenham in north London is getting, I’m not quite sure I would call it hell – not just yet. 

Founded in 2015 by Josh Nawras and Felix Mortimer, Styx made its home in a former warehouse across the road from The Cause and Grow. These proud Zone 2 and 3 venues, along with Low Profile House in Manor House, showed that London’s nightlife was finally outgrowing the shackles of Kingsland Road and Shoreditch High Street.

Styx was truly what you made of it. Their infamous summer parties, which started in the late afternoon with ping-pong tables, DJs, and food trucks serving Caribbean food, would carry on until the early morning, as the party moved into the warehouse come nightfall. The team behind Recess, AKA “your WCW’s favourite night out”, used the club’s out and indoor space in a similarly innovative way. 

Also, Styx was in Tottenham, which will always be dear to me. We had some great parties there, the owners were the best we’ve ever worked with and always had dates available for us. As Jojo Sonubi of Recess told me: “Days and nights at Styx hit different. We’ll never see a venue like that again.”

Styx has been knocked down as part of a £500 million plan to “regenerate Tottenham Hale”, leaving nothing but the lingering odour of spilt Wray’s and echoes of Sneakbo “Touch Ah Button”.