‘I was in the club days after deadly meningitis outbreak- it was body-to-body’
A university student who partied in the club linked to the deadly meningitis outbreak said the dance floor was ‘jammed’ with hundreds of people.
Meg McKay, 20, filmed promotional videos for Club Chemistry in Canterbury on Saturday, just one day before two people died from an ‘invasive’ strain of meningitis linked to the venue.
A further 11 students from the Canterbury area are seriously ill in hospital, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said.
University students have been told the outbreak started at a Fresher’s event at Chemistry on March 6, which was also attended by sixth formers.
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Juliette, a Year 13 pupil at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham, was the second victim, the other a University of Kent student.
Ms McKay, a law student at Canterbury Christ Church, told Metro her and her friends regularly witnessed parts of the three-floor club be ‘chock-a-block’.
A fire next to another Canterbury club, Tokyo Tea Rooms, in February meant even more students flocked to the venue in recent weeks, she explained.
The stand-up comedian, from Belfast, said: ‘The middle floor is the busiest. If you go there on a Saturday it is body to body.
‘There are 200 or 300 people in this room – it is jammed, chock-a-block, it is congested.
‘Because of the fire next to Tokyo Tea Rooms, everyone has to go to Chemistry. That is making it more congested.’
Ms McKay stressed that Chemistry, which was hosting a ‘Spring Fling’ event on March 6, is a ‘really well run club’ and ‘could not have done anything’ to prevent the meningitis outbreak.
The student has been wracked with fear after finding out she was in the club just a week after the initial event linked to the deadly cases.
That anxiety has spread throughout the city, with some even fleeing Canterbury to avoid catching the infection.
Ms McKay added: ‘Some of my friends are scared s***less. It is a really scary environment at the moment.
‘The atmosphere is quite tense. A lot of people are going home and getting out of Canterbury.
‘A lot of my friends decided not to go to university today.’
The law undergraduate has even begun implementing ‘Covid-style measures’ at home to protect her ‘high risk’ flatmate.
‘We are disinfecting everything and keeping our distance,’ she added.
Ms McKay plans to try to get antibiotics for meningitis tomorrow after dozens of potential contacts queued to pick up the vital drugs today.
She fears the outbreak could have a long-lasting effect on nightlife in Canterbury with locals nervous to return to busy venues.
This has thrown into doubt her first-ever stand-up comedy event in a Canterbury pub later this week.
She said: ‘I have been putting a lot of work into it for a while. It is stressful for me because in stand up comedy you need opportunities to go well. It is also an income stream for me.
‘It is scary that it might not go ahead but people’s lives are more important than a few laughs.
‘We are going to be expecting a much smaller turnout that what we would have.’
What is meginititis?
The illness is caused by infection with a bacterium called Neisseria meningitidis, which inflames the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.
While it is common among babies, young children, teens and young adults, it can infect anyone of any age, Caroline Hughes, support services manager at Meningitis Research Foundation, told Metro.
Symptoms include fever and chills, fatigue, vomiting, cold hands and feet, aches and pains, rapid breathing and, over time, a purple rash.
‘In the early stages it can be mistaken for a hangover, freshers’ flu or other mild illnesses, but it can become life-threatening within hours,’ Hughes said.
Symptoms can intensify in only a few hours – the bacteria can invade the bloodstream and cause sepsis, a life-threatening response to infection that causes clammy skin, pain and chills.
As a bacterial infection, meningitis can be spread through sneezing, coughing or sharing utensils.
Up to one in every 10 cases of bacterial meningitis is fatal, sometimes in as little as 24 hours after diagnosis.
Childhood coverage of the MenB vaccine – which protects against meningitis – was 89.1% in 2025, according to the agency.
The jab is given to children when they’re eight weeks, 12 weeks and one year old, but uptake has been decreasing nationwide for years.
The NHS offers a free MenACWY vaccine to teenagers aged 13–15 (School Year 9) alongside the 3-in-1 booster, protecting against four meningitis strains (A, C, W, Y).
This vital, single-injection jab acts as a booster to protect against increased risks in young adults and is available from GPs up to age 25 if missed.
If you’re under 25 and you’ve not had the MenACWY vaccine before, you should ideally have it at least 2 weeks before starting college or university. Ask a GP about getting vaccinated.
One mother has also spoken of her fear after her daughter was taken to hospital with meningitis after having a seizure.
Khali Goodwin said her 21-year-old daughter, Keeleigh, had been taken to hospital after being found unconscious at her shared accommodation in Canterbury.
The 39-year-old mum-of-six told Metro: ‘I thought it was Covid I never for a second could have imagined this.
‘She’s slowly getting there I think she was extremely lucky her housemate found her and rang the ambulance.
‘I was terrified getting the call she was in hospital. I assumed that she has all the vaccinations for it I didn’t know there was one for anyone past 2015.’
On her recovery, she said: ‘She’s still in isolation and has a very sore body. She’s so tired she’s only managed to eat two bananas in around three days.
‘Now I think she’s more scared of the future. She doesn’t want to go out anymore now she’s been so close to death.
‘She did say someone from Club Chemistry is ill with it too.’
She added: ‘The one thing I do believe is that people born before 2015 should without a doubt be offered the meningitis B vaccine on the NHS.
‘I think it should have been done a long time ago to be honest, and maybe could saved those poor other children’s lives. I genuinely can’t even imagine how their parents feel.’
Club Chemistry said that it is ‘aware’ of the meningitis outbreak and closed the venue for the rest of the week.
On Facebook, it said: ‘While we haven’t been directed to do so, the safety and wellbeing of our community, our guests and staff comes first – always.’
The venue’s owner Louise Jones-Roberts said earlier on Monday that the venue had been contacted by the UKHSA to try to trace people who may be affected.
A University of Kent spokesperson said: ‘We are deeply saddened to confirm that one student from the University of Kent has died following a case of invasive meningitis.
‘Our thoughts are with the student’s family, friends and the wider university community at this extremely difficult time.
‘The safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority. We are working closely with public health teams and are in touch with staff and students to ensure they get the advice and support they need. We will continue to monitor the situation and keep our community informed.’
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