London's oddest venue goes belly-up

One of London's toughest - and strangest - comedy nights is to close down.

The Purple Turtle bar in Islington is shutting at the end of the month, taking with it the weekly Turtley Hilarious gig, where many of today's emerging acts took their first steps in stand-up.

The 'anything goes' booking policy made the venue easily accessible to anyone wanting to try comedy - regardless of talent.

But the free-admission club, which has been going for at least five years, was perhaps better known for its clientele than the acts who performed there.

It attracted a bizarre selection of misfits, with regulars including a transsexual heckler and his/her dog, as well as drunken bikers who had been known to hurl ashtrays at the acts.

The venue closes in four weeks' time.

Published: 7 May 2003