A city nightclub became the centre of a meningitis outbreak after two young people died and, at its peak, 34 others were hospitalised with confirmed or suspected invasive meningococcal disease. Cases were linked to nights at the venue, forcing it to close.
For 18 days, Chemistry in Canterbury saw its dance floors fall silent. No spilt drinks, no snogging couples, none of the usual chaotic charm.
Club Chemistry reopened on April 2 following the meningitis outbreak in Kent
The venue’s boss shut the doors voluntarily last month after several infections were traced to three nights of partying from March 5. The earliest victim fell ill on March 9, the most recent on March 16.
Thousands of people were vaccinated and given precautionary antibiotics in response to the situation, amid one of the largest public health responses Kent has seen in recent years.
After more than two weeks without reports of any new infection, the Station Road East club finally welcomed back revellers last night – reporter Brad Harper was there to witness the reopening…
Driving along the city’s ring-road, the pink glow of the converted warehouse came into view, shining once more like a beacon for Canterbury students hunting a proper night out.
With both Louise Jones Roberts’ venues closed, including Tokyo Tea Rooms, which is still out of action after a devastating blaze at the former Odeon cinema next door, clubbers had limited options.
Louise Jones-Roberts runs Club Chemistry in Canterbury
Let’s be honest: it hasn’t been an easy start to the year for the former city councillor.
But Louise cannot be accused of shirking responsibility. Closing Club Chemistry, or “Chem” as it’s more affectionately known, as a precaution, and campaigning to expand the Men B vaccine to 15 to 25-year-olds showed she genuinely cared about protecting the current and next generation.
That same caution was on display as we joined the queue last night, with eager revellers waiting patiently to get back on the dance floor – the heartbeat of Canterbury nightlife finally returning.
While no formal clearance was needed to reopen, the nightclub boss says she invited public health and environmental health officers in to inspect the venue ahead of making a decision she says was not taken lightly.
“We closed because we wanted to make sure there was no more risk to people until we knew things were under control,” she told KentOnline.
There were long queues for meningitis vaccines at the University of Kent in Canterbury amid the outbreak
“There were more important things than the business. Two families have lost loved ones – everything else pales into insignificance.
“When the consideration is between a business and people’s wellbeing, it isn’t even a decision.”
Experts have stressed the club itself was not the source of infection, describing meningitis as “a bacteria in people, not venues”.
Louise said the club would reopen with a renewed sense of purpose and a series of new measures designed to raise awareness and protect customers. These include optional track-and-trace forms, hand sanitising stations, staff training on meningitis symptoms, and prominent awareness materials throughout the venue.
The owner also said customers would be urged not to share drinks or vapes, and a strict zero-tolerance approach to vaping inside would be enforced.
Signs in Club Chemistry telling people not to vape or smoke inside the venue
And we can confirm these measures were being rigorously put into practice last night.
As we arrived, a female staff member was taking names and contact numbers as part of an optional track-and-trace form. “It’s completely optional – you don’t have to do it,” she reassured us, but I believe you’d be silly not to.
A male security guard then did the rounds. “Guys, there is no vaping or smoking inside tonight,” he said.
One lad in the queue replied: “I thought those were the rules?”
“It is the rules, but they’re properly cracking down on it,” the bouncer added. “If you do, you are barred for life.”
Screens showing support for Meningitis Now inside Club Chemistry
At the height of the outbreak, one mum said she feared her daughter had caught meningitis from sharing a vape during a night out at Club Chemistry. Meningococcal Group B (MenB) spreads through prolonged close personal contact rather than surfaces, meaning buildings themselves are not a risk.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting issued similar warnings: “The bacteria is passed to others after a long period of close contact. For example, living with someone in shared accommodation, through prolonged kissing, or sharing vapes and drinks.”
As we queued, there appeared to be a slight technical issue, which is to be expected after weeks of closure. “We’re having a slight issue with our tills as well,” a staff member reassured us. “When they’re back up and running, we’ll be ready to go.”
After being searched, both my KentOnline colleague and I had pictures of our IDs taken. Then we ventured up two flights of stairs for the Easter-themed Indie Rock Night – hence the pink bunny ears in our photos – being held at Chem temporarily, as Tokyo remains closed.
Physical signs and on-screen notices reminded punters not to smoke or vape inside, while cards detailed meningitis symptoms.
Reporter Brad Harper, with his KentOnline colleague Millie Bowles, outside Club Chemistry on the night of its reopening
Arriving shortly before 11pm, the dance floor was initially quiet. “This is f****** dead, and it’s f****** s***,” one reveller grumbled in the smoking area at about 11.10pm.
But by the time we returned, the floor had come alive. About 30 people were dancing, and within 20 minutes that had grown to around 50. Within the hour, the crowd was a sea of bodies. Intimate contact had resumed, with at least a dozen couples making out throughout the night.
Speaking to punters in the smoking area, Jackson Lewis, 23, said: “I am fairly excited. I am here on the opening day, it is probably the biggest club in Canterbury.
“They have given us cards for the symptoms, which is good. I think they closed it at the right time and they reopened it at the right time as well, as cases have become a little rarer.
“We have all been educated, and the club has posted the right things online. I know the owner has said what she needs to say, and we are all a bit more educated on what meningitis is.
Jackson Lewis (left) and Jack Grigg (right) in Club Chemistry on opening night
“My opinion, the vape sharing was the main thing. So many people share vapes nowadays. It might be a bit of kissing as well, but I would say vape sharing is probably the main spreader.”
Jack Grigg, 25, said: “I am pretty buzzing. I was there on one of the days the outbreak happened, and I feel like since we have come back, there is more security.
“You come in, cards are telling you the symptoms, so it has been really informative. There are signs saying don’t share vapes, and about kissing, but how are you going to control that? It has felt a lot safer since reopening.”
Izzy Crump, 19, added: “I am pretty excited. I am out with friends and I’m having fun. I think the club has handled it well. I feel like other places have handled it unwell, but the club hasn’t done badly.”
The club partnered with the meningitis charity Meningitis Now, with fundraising events planned and all door proceeds from opening night donated to the charity.
Izzy Crump, 19, in Club Chemistry on opening night
Louise told us the past few weeks have been unlike anything she has ever faced. “We’ve never dealt with anything like this – everything has been done by feel, just making the decisions that feel like the best thing to do,” she said.
“What was hard – what I could not have prepared for – was waking up every morning knowing that two young people had died, that two of my own staff were in hospital, and that people I care about were frightened.
“That’s why we decided we weren’t going to open until we knew more about what was happening with the outbreak and the safety of our customers.
“But there have been no new cases, and we feel that is adequate time to ensure that by opening we’re not going to inadvertently cause any harm to our customers.”
As the night wore on, Canterbury’s party scene roared back to life. Chem was back, cautious but buzzing.
KentOnline reporter Brad Harper inside Club Chemistry on the night of its reopening
People laughed and danced to indie rock classics, alive with energy but mindful of the lessons learned.
For a few hours, the city’s grief was replaced by celebration, and Canterbury proved it could heal from tragedy while still letting loose.
The bass thumped, bodies moved as one, and the flashing lights lit up faces grinning from ear to ear.
There will ultimately be lessons to be learned from the handling of the outbreak.
Last week, it emerged the QEQM Hospital waited two days before raising the alarm about the first suspected meningitis case of the Kent outbreak.
Cards showing the symptoms of meningitis inside Club Chemistry
The UK Health Security Agency was first alerted to a case by the Margate site on the afternoon of Friday, March 13.
That patient arrived in hospital two days earlier, but there was a delay in reporting to health officials, despite there being a legal requirement for cases to be reported immediately.
For one night at least, the music inside Chem drowned out the past weeks’ fear.
The crowd reminded the city that no outbreak, no matter how devastating, could stop Canterbury from doing what it does best: partying hard, responsibly.