Printworks London, a well-known music venue will be converted into offices and shops. Over 10,000 people called for it to be saved but the Southwark Council approved plans to transform and convert the venue to provide space for offices in Canada Water in south-east London at a planning meeting on July 11, as per My London.
Globally renowned DJs including Bicep and Pete Tong have played at the club and it is one of the most famous clubs. The venue will be converted into 45,000 sq meters of retail, office, and co-working space as a part of the project. This club which holds 6000 people will make space for around 3,000 new jobs that will be created because of this project by developer British Land.
Printworks began in 2017. It was a temporary entertainment space in the former Harmsworth Quays printing works building. According to My London, it “was ranked 7th best club in the world by DJ Mag in 2021.”
“The conversion of the warehouse venue is part of the Canada Water Masterplan regeneration project,” states My London. It will modify a 21.27-hectare area. “The area includes Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, Surrey Quays Leisure Park, and the Printworks building. Around 20,000 jobs are expected to be created nearby through the regeneration scheme,” as per My London.
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Over 10,000 people signed a Change.org petition to save the nightclub. However, “no one spoke in opposition to the proposals”. The petition states losing the venue would be heartbreaking.
It reads: “Reports have revealed London has lost almost a quarter of its nightclubs since the pandemic started. There are 198 venues operating as nightclubs in the capital, the fewest since the mid-90s, according to figures from the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA). That is a fall of 22 percent from 256 in 2019 before Covid struck. Industry bosses fear London risks losing its reputation as one of the world’s premier clubbing capitals.”
“Printworks is one of the UK’s most prestigious nightclubs hosting DJs and musicians from all over the world. The club is an essential part of creative youth culture not just in London, but also in the UK. The nightclub ranked number 7 In DJ Mag’s top 100 clubs worldwide in 2021. To lose this beloved venue would be heartbreaking.”
“To remove that in the name of further corporatization of the City would be to rip the soul of the area and heartbreaking to thousands of people,” the petition read.
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David Walters is the British Land project lead. Walters said that the nightclub’s building was very important to the project. He said: “Printworks is critical to this master plan. It alone will provide space for around 3,000 jobs. It will provide shops and restaurants alongside the new public park. It provides important bus infrastructure for Transport for London,” as per My London.
“Most importantly, it sets a benchmark for sustainable development and will result in the retention and reuse of this iconic structure to create a best in class and flexible workspace at the heart of the Canada Water masterplan.”
He also said that the company was having discussions with Printworks’ operator Broadwick Live to open a new “cultural venue”.
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Featured Image via Clubbing TV
