Balans Soho Society
Balans was one of London’s headiest and most hedonistic hotspots back in the day. This was a time when mobile phones were a status symbol and it was socially acceptable to serve deep-fried Camembert with cranberry sauce.
They were at the heart of the gay scene at a time when minds were narrow, trousers were a tad too tight and hair was for the most part spiked. It became famous for its all-day breakfasts, Thai curries and 24-hour late-night after-parties. It was an integral part of Soho cultural history.
Over the years, however, and as it grew, Balans started to lose its original shine and its sense of identity.
After looking back at what made Balans tick, we felt it needed to restore its raison d’être. It was steeped in Soho culture and those who knew Balans felt very much part of its history; it was almost like a society with rules and codes of conduct all of its very own.
So we renamed it Balans Soho Society and wrote down those rules. We created a philosophy that captured the spirit of the place and its history. We designed an identity to fit and carried it with us everywhere: to the interior schemes, the place settings, the condiments … we had a brilliant time creating all manner of sybaritic props to ensure every visit to a Balans was a memorable one.
We also created a membership scheme with a range of promotional benefits designed to reward regulars and evangelists.
This was a vast project that required every discipline we had under our roof, but the number of ‘clubs’ subsequently grew to almost double figures and it was (appropriately!) a genuine blast to work on.
They were at the heart of the gay scene at a time when minds were narrow, trousers were a tad too tight and hair was for the most part spiked. It became famous for its all-day breakfasts, Thai curries and 24-hour late-night after-parties. It was an integral part of Soho cultural history.
Over the years, however, and as it grew, Balans started to lose its original shine and its sense of identity.
After looking back at what made Balans tick, we felt it needed to restore its raison d’être. It was steeped in Soho culture and those who knew Balans felt very much part of its history; it was almost like a society with rules and codes of conduct all of its very own.
So we renamed it Balans Soho Society and wrote down those rules. We created a philosophy that captured the spirit of the place and its history. We designed an identity to fit and carried it with us everywhere: to the interior schemes, the place settings, the condiments … we had a brilliant time creating all manner of sybaritic props to ensure every visit to a Balans was a memorable one.
We also created a membership scheme with a range of promotional benefits designed to reward regulars and evangelists.
This was a vast project that required every discipline we had under our roof, but the number of ‘clubs’ subsequently grew to almost double figures and it was (appropriately!) a genuine blast to work on.
before big fish®
before big fish®
after big fish®
after big fish®
