With a DJ from Capital Gold and run by the same people who are in charge of Leicester Square club Storm, Hampton Court's new night club The Venue promises to be the place to be.

The Venue is on the site of what used to be The Whistlestop and despite having been open for a month it receives its grand opening on November 9.

And the man getting everyone in the party mood is Capital Gold DJ Dean Martin who at the age of 27 is the youngest at the station so forget Smashey and Nicey.

"I began as a DJ when I was 12," says Dean. "Then I started doing TV work and I suppose you call my time in Grange Hill one of my first big breaks."

Despite showing thespian tendencies Dean never lost his love for music.

"Some of the first gigs I did were when I was still at school and I would DJ their dances and discos. I have done some hospital radio as well which is a great training ground, plus your are giving something back.

"But things started happening when I went in for Capital Radio's Search For A Star competition."

Dean was picked from more than 180 other hopefuls by Dr Fox and after a stint at the Capital Caf and a few Capital Roadshows, Dean was offered his current job at Capital Gold.

"It may sound like a clich but it's a dream job because I am getting paid to play the music I love. I much prefer the music of the 70s and 80s to the stuff that is in the charts today."

So how did Dean get involved with DJing at The Venue?

"Because I'm based in Leicester Square I get asked to DJ at quite a few of the big London clubs and the guys who run The Venue also run Storm which is in Leicester Square."

And what can The Venue's customers expect from Dean?

"It's going to be a real party night with some great sounds. I don't want to stick to one style of music so there will be a bit of everything.

"I'll be playing everything from some real old classics right through to this week's No. 1. One thing I can say is that I won't be playing anything you will not have heard of. I'm certainly not going to start playing house and garage stuff.

"There are going to be lots of giveaways and competitions as well. One thing I don't mind when I'm DJing is people coming up and having a chat. I'm quite happy to talk to people and play their requests."

It all seems quite tame compared to some of the Capital Radio Roadshow.

"We did have quite a few embarrassing moments but it's always the women in the crowd.

"When I was doing the roadshow I was always trying to get people to be outrageous, especially when we were doing competitions. I'd tell the audience to try and impress me and normally there was always one woman who would go too far and take her top off so the job does have some perks!"

However things are a bit more sedate down at Capital Gold, among the elder statesmen of the airwaves.

"I know a lot of people take the mickey out of Tony Blackburn but it's great to work with someone of his experience. People forget if it wasn't for people like Tony commercial radio may never have existed. He was the original pirate DJ on Radio Caroline.

"And apart from all that, he has some great stories!"

Dean has now established himself at Capital Gold but he's the first to admit he did suffer from first night nerves.

"I was absolutely petrified when I sat down to do my first show, I was shaking. All of a sudden I was going from a radio station which was London-based to one which has listeners all over the world. Not only is Capital Gold nationwide here but it is broadcast on the internet as well.

"Never have I been so glad to see the end of a show."

Hopefully, there should not be any first night nerves tonight and if you fancy a night out with some great sounds, courtesy of Dean, get down to The Venue, Hampton Court.

November 12, 2001 15:00