Javier Iturrioz, one of the founders of Ibiza’s KU nightclub, dies in Madrid

The Basque businessman and interior designer  Javier Iturrioz, 78, died of a respiratory infection early Monday morning at the San Carlos Clinic in Madrid. Iturrioz, along with Jose Luis Anabitarte (Gorri) and the famous ex-footballer Jose Antonio Santamaria were the founders of the legendary KU nightclub in Ibiza. The three friends arrived on the island in the seventies from San Sebastian, where they had restaurants and another nightclub, also called KU, and transformed Club San Rafael into the biggest nightclub in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records. Javier was a careful person, he gave the impression of being reserved, but had a fine sense of humour, was a great conversationalist and had a good nose for business. He was the mastermind behind KU’s VIP area, a great public relations man at that time in the restaurant that embraced the new talents of Basque cuisine, and he was friendly with all the celebrities who frequented the nightclub, such as Julio Iglesias, Roman Polanski, Ana Obregón and the most famous footballers of the 70s and 80s. Two decades ago he left the island to move to Madrid.