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A Touch Of Gold: Exclusive Interview With Nick Gold
NICK GOLD was brought up in the UK and attended the prestigious boarding school Pangbourne College in Berkshire. Following graduation, he travelled to Jamaica, China, Hong Kong, British Columbia, Baffin Island, Bahamas, New York, Florida and then Las Vegas, where he decided to settle working for the Bank Nightclub and the Light Group. He is married to Jaimarie with whom he has a 10 month old baby girl called Gianna.
You grew up in an era where rock royalties, business tycoons and Hollywood stars frequently visited your father’s members club tramp. What can you tell us about this period?
Growing up, Dad kept business and home life very separate. I do not think I really understood where Dad was going every night until I was around six or seven, and it was because my parents were hosting a dinner party at home and invited Christopher Reeves, who had just had Superman 2 come out, and Robin Williams, who had just had Popeye come out. Needless to say, I was very excited and Dad explained that they used to come to Tramp often and that is how they were friends.
How is it to work for the Hakkasan group which comprises 15 restaurants, 12 nightclubs and soon a luxury hotel in Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah Island?
I have the pleasure of being the Director of Lounge Marketing for Hakkasan Group here in Vegas and the most satisfying part of my job is seeing a concept I envision grow into a successful event at one of our many luxurious lounges.
Your father, Johnny gold, has a sterling reputation worldwide. In what ways has he inspired you and what do you think are the key factors that have made him hugely successful?
I remember as a kid my dad sitting me down and saying that I should always treat everyone equally regardless of what they do and to never forget that we all have to sit on the loo. I think he has always remembered that and still, to this day, treats everyone he meets like royalty. My dad just has an amazing ability to make people feel at ease and comfortable. I have always tried to be the same.
Why did you decide to live in Vegas?
I came out here on holiday in 2011 and met my old boss who offered me a position as Director of Marketing for The Bank Nightclub in Bellagio and also sponsored my visa. I had always wanted to live and work in the US but never really thought about Las Vegas. I thought it would be an easy transition as we speak the same language but it is a very different culture and that took some time to get used to, but there’s more to Vegas than just the Strip and you can have a great quality of life here.
Las Vegas is renowned for its party scene. Where do you go to enjoy quiet family time?
I haven’t drunk alcohol since 2003 so my partying days are well and truly over, but when I want to get away from the Strip, I go home to spend quality time with my family.
Is there any club today that is the equivalent of what Tramp used to be in its heyday?
Even though Tramp is still open and quickly approaching it’s 50th anniversary, it lost its soul when Dad retired. I think the closest is still Annabel’s and the Soho House Group.
Do you have any plans to open your own private members’ club? We would be the first to sign up.
Ha ha ha! I am flattered. But the answer is no. The world has changed a lot since Tramp opened in 1969, and one of the reasons for its popularity for so many years was that the biggest celebrities in the world could come and just relax and hang out without fear of their antics ending up on social media or in the press. These days, it’s impossible to control who has a camera phone on them and the paparazzi are on the inside as well as the outside. So without being able to offer that level of privacy, I feel that the Soho Houses of the world have it covered for now and I wish them the best of luck for the future.
You have many years of experience in the nightlife industry. How do you think the industry has changed in the last 10 years, and how do you think clubs will look like and feel in 10 years from now?
I feel that social media now plays a bigger part in the industry than 10 years ago. When you walk into a club now, everyone has their phones out posting on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. So you have to make sure you’re putting on one hell of a show for the customer to post on social media. So it’s not only the DJ, it’s the lights, the pyro effects, the waitresses, the bottle presentations etc. I honestly don’t know what the future holds for nightlife; at the moment it’s more about the big name DJs than the club. Hopefully, it will become a more balanced playing field.
Steven Spielberg
Tomer Ben, CEO & Founder of Solomon Mines with Nancy Spielberg
" My dad just has an amazing ability to make people feel at ease and comfortable. I have always tried to be the same "
Artist Jessica Katz (daughter of Nancy Spielberg
What are your plans for the future?
If you had told me in January of 2011 that I would be moving to Las Vegas and would meet the woman of my dreams and have the most beautiful baby girl in the world, I would have laughed! I don’t tend to plan too far out as you don’t know what God might have planned. But for now, my main plan is for my wife and I to raise our daughter. As far as work goes, I love working for Hakkasan Group and the company is expanding at a rapid rate, so who knows where that will take me!