Leo Sayer 'sorry to see' inspirational club bite the dust

Leo Sayer says he's sorry a West Sussex nightclub which inspired one
of his songs has been demolished.

The Mexican Hat in Worthing is being replaced by low-cost housing and
shops.

The club was the inspiration for Sayer's '70s hit Moonlighting.

The song was about a van driver who tried to elope to Gretna Green
with the daughter of Worthing's chief of police.

Sayer was a student at Worthing Art College when he started going to
the club, reports the Brighton Evening Argus.

He said: "I am sorry to hear it has been demolished but times change.
The Mexican Hat will be warmly remembered by many old musicians.

"It is where we played a lot of gigs and used to hang out. It was a
great place to go, although a little sleazy.

"I saw a lot of bands there. They used to squeeze them up on a tiny
stage in the days when there weren't many venues. It was a hub of
activity in Worthing and certainly part of the history of the music
scene back in the Sixties."

The new development on the site of the club, which opened in 1962, is
for a housing association to provide affordable homes.

Story filed: 16:13 Wednesday 6th February 2002

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