Half a decade in a tough market

The balloons will be out in force, the free buffet will be well and truly raided, and the party in full swing by the time most people read this, but it’s still worthy of note that the Secrets lounge lizard libation room and coyote dancing bar (Soi 14, off Walking Street) will be celebrating its fifth birthday on Thursday night 1 September.

Secrets was a concept that five years ago certainly raised the bar in terms of quality bar, in both metaphorical and figurative terms. There’s no truth in the rumour that the London Clock, the main man behind the bar and the concept, had somehow decided upon the name Secrets after discovering the Thai military’s plans to oust the government of Fearless Leader in a coup just over a week later. Think about the implications: five years ago Thailand’s political turmoil boiled over and since then the place has resembled a basket case to many outsiders and potential newcomers. To have been running a successful business during that time cannot have been easy, yet Secrets proved an instant winner from day one.

As I wrote at the time, ‘The bar stools are comfortable, the big screen TVs will be a drawcard for watching any and all sports, the food from the large kitchen I was told by those who sampled the buffet was first-class, and liver wasters come in ham-fist sized glasses…’ Nothing has changed in Secrets, but what it has done is forced a lot of new businesses in the nightlife arena to raise their own levels in order to compete.