Kabalagala’s famous De Posh Bar has closed shop, bringing to an end the life of one of Kampala’s most famous and most notorious hang-outs of the last decade.
De Posh has been one of the biggest and most executive hangouts in Kabalagala, and therefore in Kampala, and like most other hang-outs in Kabalagala it has been popular its large numbers of ‘nightwomen’, let alone its always being open to patrons at any time of the day even when most other bars in Kampala are on a low.
The hang-out’s proprietor, Ms Beatrice Nakubulwa, announced the closure of the night spot on her Facebook page on Monday night, writing:
“Dear our esteemed customers of Deposh Bar and restaurant Kabalagala, Muyenga road. Allow me to thank you generously for the continued support you have given us for the last eight years we have been in the industry. …We have indefinitely closed our business from today (Monday) onwards, thank you so much. I have retired from the night life to something else.”
De Posh was one of the biggest hangouts in Kabalagala, and therefore in Kampala, but even more it was especially famous for having a sizeable crowd even through the day when most other bars in Kampala are on a low. This had made the pub a go-to for many of Kampala’s party animals who when they found themselves in need of a party crowd during day, more so those with an inclination to the notorious ways of Kabalagala. Kabalagala as a place is very famous for its droves of sex workers, most of whom always hang around in the neighbourhood’s countless bars
To steal a sweeping glance at Kabalagala’s nightlife as a scene wider than just De Posh, several nightspots in the neighbourhood that is considered ‘the Las Vegas of Uganda’ have closed shop over the last few months, creating the impression that perhaps the place might soon come a notch down regarding nightlife notoriety. Among these places where party animals will no longer get to party are: Vision Congo, Punchline Bar, Timeless Pub, Virgin Bar and Restaurant, Gazebo Pub Restaurant, Mikom Bar, Chuchyz Bar and Executive Restaurant, among others.
Residents and revelers say the closure of nightspots in Kabalagala is largely because the ‘freedom’ that took visitors there has been greatly erroded by authorities, with revelers no longer finding it as easy as it previously was to indulge unchecked in activities like roadside partying, informal gambling, open commercial sex trade, name it.