Tributes paid to owner of 'world-class' Islington venue

Mayuan Mak, the owner of the Electrowerkz in Islington who also went by Mak, died suddenly on December 9.

He was a co-founder of the world’s longest-running alternative dark-scene club night, Slimelight, alongside his colleague, Dette Marsh.

“He was the most amazing person I have ever had the honour to share my life with," said Dette.

Slimelight will continue to run weekly online events in lieu of regular club nights due to Covid restrictions.

Amid the pandemic, Mayuan's loved ones will not be arranging a memorial immediately, but plan to host an event in June - recurring annually - to honour his life and uniqueness.

Mayuan and his partner Shay-Anne Aboud's son Mikkel is only six months old, and Shay-Anne plans to collect video testimonies about Mayuan so Mikkel can learn about his father later in life.

Describing her partner, Shay-Anne said: “He was a man of few words, he preferred to do things instead. So many little things. If he was going to be out all day, he knew I was in for a tough day, so would hide a Lindt chocolate bear or bunny somewhere he knew I would find it.”

During his last days, Mayuan was helping to put on the London Alternative Channukah Festival at Electrowerkz.

One of the organisers of the festival, Alias Cummings, said: “Mak was very much a friend of the Jewish people and fought against antisemitism in all its forms.”

Alias also spoke about Mayuan's legacy as the co-founder of Slimelight: “Mak worked tirelessly to make the Electrowerkz a world-class venue, a meeting place for the unwanted, the unloved, the unwashed, vagabonds, misfits, foundlings, heretics and strangers.

"Slimelight is, in a very real sense, the spiritual home of the gothic people of the UK.”

One of Slimelight’s regular cybergoth attendees, Russ, who prefers to only go by his first name, added: "For me, Slimelight was the home of my chosen family. And without Mak's hard work and his friendliness to all those who came through its doors, none of it would have happened."

Friends, club-goers and staff members have been laying flowers and tributes to Mayuan on his van.

Tributes to Mak Ma Yuan on his van. (Image: Vic Toria)

Steve Weeks, a long serving DJ at the club, said he knew Mayuan for 32 years, 26 as a colleague at Slimelight: "Many of the crew both past and present, and the bands he put on at the club, have so much respect for him.

"He was unique, often going out of his way to help others, always tinkering with the plan (aka the club rota), and will be missed by all of us."

His loved ones have also set up a GoFundMe page, which has already raised over £2,000. All donations will go to his memorial and family.

View the fundraiser at gf.me/u/zcpvrt

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