Beloved LGBT club owner dies of ‘broken heart’ six weeks after his partner’s death
LGBT+ club owner Steven Collyer died six weeks after his partner Jason Roe passed away.
The couple were beloved in Cardiff, where Collyer had managed popular clubs. They moved to Devon and opened a fish and chip shop in Torquay called the Shiphay Chippy.
Jason Roe died of illness over the summer. A friend of the couple, Jade Smith, said Collyer, 52, “died of a broken heart” six weeks later on September 4.
“Steven will be sadly missed by each and everyone he met,” she added.
The pair had been together for 28 years and were well-known within the Cardiff LGBT+ community, reported Devon Live.
Collyer’s partner, Jason Roe died of illness six weeks ago. (Facebook/Steven Collyer)
Collyer was a staple of gay nightlife in the 1990s after he opened the first WOW gay nightclub in 1997. He also ran Koolers Nightclub and Club Cardiff.
In recent years, however, Collyer’s legacy in Cardiff has suffered a blow. Koolers, once a popular location was nominated for most tragic UK nightclub by online magazine The Tab in 2017.
“It basically redefines tragic in the most beautiful way possible,” reads the description of Koolers on Tab’s website.
Collyer and Roe made a new start in Devon, where they opened the Shiphay Chippy in 2017.
Collyer’s sister Vicky Roffi said: “Steven was an amazing man, amazing friend but most of all he was loved by so so many people. I for one will greatly miss him.”
“Wherever they went Steven and Jason made a massive impact. They were very outgoing – especially Steven. He loves a party,” she added.
Just the day before his death, Collyer’s Facebook account announced he was closing the Shiphay “until further notice.” Since his death was made official, a few people have paid their respects and sent good wishes.
Collyer and Roe are survived by a daughter. Funeral arrangements will take place in Wales. According to Devon Live, the local community placed flowers by the entrance of the Shiphay, and both the Welsh flag and Devon flag flew above the chip shop.
Two Facebook pages have been set up to remember Collyer and Roe and give people a chance to pay their respects.
