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15,000 join fight to save the Astoria
By Lech Mintowt-Czyz, Evening Standard 29.08.06
Showcase: Girls Aloud playing the Astoria in Soho. The future of the 2,000-capacity venue is in doubt after the building was sold to developers
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Thousands of Londoners are fighting to save one of the capital's historic music venues.
Almost 15,000 have already signed a petition to prevent the Astoria in Soho being turned into flats and shops.
The Rolling Stones, Nirvana, Oasis and Blur have played there and it has a reputation for showcasing bands just before they hit the big time.
The building has been sold for £23.75 million by Compco Holdings to Derwent Valley.
No official plans for the site have been announced, but the Astoria could also be subject to a compulsory purchase order for the Crossrail project.
The 2,000-capacity venue is understood to be on lease to music promoter Mean Fiddler until December 2008.
Christine Gorham of Live Nation, which owns Mean Fiddler, said the company was powerless to prevent a redevelopment of the site.
Petition organiser Sarah Tennant, 19, said: "It has always been the premier venue of its size in London."
Reader views (4)
Just come back from this venue in which Feeder played their last ever show here, they're gonna be around for ages, but not here, where they played a loud mindblowing gig!!!, spoke to the band afters and they all said to my mate and I how much they'll miss it, and we're all feeling the same 
.
The guys gave a farewell to the place in style, and London is REALLY missing something from the point this place will go .
- Marcus Bowen, Hastings
This place should never be knocked down! It should be made a listed building! It's part of London's musical heratige for God's sake! If it were a famous Gallery or something the government would probably step in but not for this. We must save the Astoria from being turned into MORE offices and MORE shops that we just don't need. We NEED to keep the spirit of music alive in London. It's one of the things we are world famous for, NOT shops!
- Jim, Osterley, UK
They should never knock this place down. I had my first real night out in London there.
- Tristan, UK
It's a great shame that one of London's best known music venues is destined to disappear but I suspect that more people will be please to see it go than want it to stay. Surely, if it is to have a hope of surviving, it needs to clean up its act. The building is a mess on the outside, an eyesore and an embarrassment even in the garish context of Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Street. Inside it's disgusting. A shame as I have many a fond memory of gigs and club nights attended there...
- Paul, Kings Cross, UK
