Bunga 90 opened this month in Covent Garden, created by nightlife entrepreneurs Charlie Gilkes and Duncan Stirling as a nostalgic homage to the decade. Guests enter through a mock video rental shop stocked with VHS tapes, a mystery to many younger visitors. Inside, the club is packed with period memorabilia, from Britney Spears posters to wrestling figurines, curated by designers Sophie Bicknell and Olly Draper.
“It felt timely to celebrate the 1990s,” Gilkes said. “Oasis and Five are back, Boyzone have announced a 2026 reunion, and fashion from the era is in revival too. Enough time has passed for us to be reflective, and it is fun to go back to what felt like a better time.”
The revival of Breezers has added to the buzz. First discontinued in 2015, the drink has been relaunched with a slightly updated recipe but familiar taste. Steve Young, Bacardi’s UK country director, said the response has been overwhelming.
“The Nineties evoke fun and self expression,” he said. “People are craving more authentic experiences, from retro fashion to analogue tech. Breezer offers a taste of the past with a modern twist.”
The comeback reflects a wider drinks trend. Hooch, once at the centre of a moral panic about alcopops, is also back, though both drinks now contain less alcohol than in their original versions. Ready to drink cocktails are one of the fastest growing areas of the market.
But Gilkes noted that opening a new nightlife venue is rare, with more than a third of UK clubs having closed since the pandemic. Rising costs, tax increases and fears over looming changes to business rates continue to put pressure on the industry.
“The single biggest shot in the arm we could get would be a cut in VAT, but it does not feel like the government is listening any more,” Gilkes warned.
