Another day, another club closure. London’s Printworks is officially set to close following a decision by Southwark Council to redevelop it into offices.
News of its regeneration was first announced back in October, with property developer British Land submitting plans to Southwark Council later that month. Since then, fans of the venue rallied to save the venue with a 10,000-strong change.org petition calling for plans to be scrapped.
“During a time where more people are working from home than ever before, the last thing that is needed is more office space,” wrote the petition’s author, Will Gooddy.
“Reports have revealed London has lost almost a quarter of its nightclubs since the pandemic started. Industry bosses fear London risks losing its reputation as one of the world’s premier clubbing capitals,” he added.
Printworks first opened in 2017 and was converted from a former print press warehouse into a dance music venue, hosting electronic acts such as Bicep, Erol Alkan and Peggy Gou.
It’s yet to be confirmed when exactly the club will close, but developments for a new venue from the team behind Printworks is currently in the works.
British nightlife has been under threat for a while now (see: an incomplete list to clubs that closed in the 2010s), with noise complaints, local councils and greedy property developers claiming some of the country’s favourite clubs in the last few years.
A report last October found that Britain has lost almost a quarter of its nightclubs since the pandemic started. “Nightclubs throughout this pandemic have been disproportionately targeted as high risk settings without substantive evidence, almost ostracised publicly,” said Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association.
“The government’s lack of understanding of this sector has led to ill-informed decision-making and businesses being marginalised or lost forever,” he concluded.