Printworks London closure: the venue whose spirit lives on

The closure of Printworks marks the end of an era for London's clubbing scene, but the legacy of this iconic venue will undoubtedly live on.

Image: Closing weekend at Printworks London. © Emma Chadwick

It was a sad weekend for London’s ravers as the iconic Printworks nightclub closed its doors for the last time. Artists including Peggy Gou, Sub Focus and Black Coffee gathered in the press halls for a final send-off, creating the fantastic atmosphere and energy that the venue is known and loved for.

The closure of Printworks had sadly been destined from the moment it opened in 2017, with Southwark Council issuing a meanwhile use license ahead of a major regeneration of the site to provide more than 3,000 net zero homes and 200,000 sqm of workspace. Despite a petition signed by 11,000 people and in excess of 700 objections to private developer British Land’s regeneration plans, London’s most loved nightclub could not be saved.

The sadness surrounding the closure of Printworks is more than mourning the loss of an outstanding music venue where the Broadwick Live team delivered phenomenal events time and time again. The closure represents the continued decline of the UK’s clubbing culture, with reports that one fifth of clubs have closed since the COVID-19 pandemic. Restrictions put in place during the pandemic severely damaged London’s nightlife with many club owners struggling to pay rents and afford increasing insurance costs. Social distancing rules also meant the nightclubs were one of the last pockets of the economy to reopen, causing significant losses for owners. Though some venues were able to host small numbers of people during the ‘rule of 6’ restriction, for others restrictions meant the end of business.

Image: Closing weekend at Printworks London. © Emma Chadwick

Even prior to the pandemic, there is no doubt that clubbing culture has been under threat for a long time, particularly demonstrated by the temporary closure of Islington’s most famous nightclub, Fabric, back in 2016. The club was forced to close following two drug-related deaths; the local council ruled that the staff at the venue had inadequately searched club patrons and that drugs were openly bought on the premises. The Farringdon-based club fortunately reopened 5 months later following the Save Fabric campaign with strict new licensing rules in place to prevent further deaths. Since then, it has been a thriving destination for lovers of late night dancing.

For London’s clubbers, it is rare to find a space like Printworks which has the ability to draw in some of the most exciting DJs. The venue, which can hold up to 6,000 people, is able to emit amazing sound and vibrant laser shows creating a high energy atmosphere, one that was not lost when I attended one of the final shows on Sunday the 28th of April. Watching from the raised platform surrounding the halls, I was able to glimpse some of the clubbing scene’s most exciting DJs whilst soaking up the sea of bucket hats from a height.

Image: Closing weekend at Printworks London. © Emma Chadwick

The energy which radiated throughout Printworks’ final weekend suggests the UK’s nightclub culture and Printworks has strong potential to live on. The team has indicated that the club could return following the completion of Canada Water’s £3.5 billion regeneration, should they be able to gain planning approval. In the meantime, attention has turned to The Beams, an industrial space in Canning Town, where the Printworks team plan to hold a number of similar events to ensure the two-stepping can continue. So although we’ve said goodbye to the space where Printworks was located this weekend, I’m sure the legacy of this iconic venue is going to live on. FLO can’t wait to see what the Printworks team have in store for us next! Date: 30 April 2023. Location: 1 Surrey Quays Road, London, SE16 7PJ, United Kingdom.

Words by Emma Chadwick