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Turnmills to become an office block
Mark Blunden and Roisin Gad El Ab28.12.07
One of London's best-known nightclubs is to close and be turned into an office block.
Turnmills in Clerkenwell was among the "superclubs" of the Nineties and attracted some of the biggest names in dance music including Judge Jules, Paul Van Dyk and the Chemical Brothers.
It was the home of Trade, the first after-hours club in Britain, and Pete Doherty was often spotted there, recording material in the Turnmills studio.
In its heyday, it ranked alongside Ministry Of Sound as one of the most popular clubs in the country and was the first to obtain a 24-hour dance licence. But in recent years crowds have dwindled as dance music dropped in popularity.
It has also been the scene of gang violence. In April 2003, armed men burst into the club, which was due to host So Solid Crew singer Lisa Maffia's launch night, and robbed clubbers.
During a gun battle outside, Jason Fearon, a 26-year-old father-of-two from Edmonton, was shot dead by the gang as he attempted to flee the area in his Audi.
Now landlord Derwent London has been granted permission to build a two-storey rooftop extension on the site with the club and its dancefloor in the basement becoming offices. They can also expand the building's floorspace by nearly 50 per cent to 64,750 sq ft. Islington council's planning committee gave permission for change of use from a club to offices.
Architects Piercy Connor have incorporated shops and offices into the design, although the majority of the building will be reserved for offices.
Derwent London project manager David Thurston said: "The scheme includes the refurbishment, the extension on the top floor and the basement where the nightclub is. Our business is to improve buildings and improve the desirability of people coming to these buildings." Derwent London has not set a date for work to start.
A spokesman for Turnmills confirmed the club was closing but said he did not know when and suggested Turnmills could find a new home.
He added: "As far as we are concerned our lease is still intact until any legal documents have been signed, which they haven't at this stage and the permission to develop does not mean they need vacant possession for the first phase of the building works.
"The long-term plan for the building and development far exceeds our existing lease.
"We are in negotiation with the landlords to buy us out of the remaining lease if they want to bring the development of the basement forward - which they may or may not want to do. It's very early days."
Reader views (12)
When I lived in London, Turnmills was allways the best place to go to. Went to all different club nights including Trade which was an experience and I will always cherish. Pity I can't get my hands on Trade Cd's as a final momento.
- Lee, Manchester
Ahh no, their buggers these people. You find a great place to party and they want to ruin it by giving the city another flipping office. I used to party at Headstart they are brilliant nights, they should bugger off and find somewhere else, instead of taking our clubs, they should use land that has been vacant for along time.
- Dj Snuck, Wimbledon, London
What does Derwent London project manager David Thurston mean by saying "Our business is to improve buildings and improve the desirability of people coming to these buildings" What's so undesirable about the people going there already?
- Jamie Elmer, London
Sad to hear the place is closing, made it to Turnmills one night and met Paul, nice guy so I'm sure he'll do the right thing and not sell out if he can. Would like to go there again but maybe I won't get the chance! Made it to Trade another night, crazy experience but I'm glad I stayed until the end.
- Gary Vaughan, Galway City
This is sad news. I often go down to London for Turnmills. R.I.P.
- Aaron Winfield, Edinburgh, Scotland.
This is just ridiculous - while Turnmills is of course an institution, the amount of space it occupies (specially in considering of the rooftop expansion) would not justify closing it down and depriving London of a much loved venue.
I have lived in Clerkenwell for years, and there simply isn't another venue in London that has the imtimacy and atmosphere that Turnmills has - period! The developers are being shortsighted and Mr. "Tall Paul" Newman would be hugely mistaken in selling out on the venue that his father started and which put after hours clubbing on the map.
There is an abundance of office space that is already empty in the area and they would be best developing other parts of the area!
- Alexander Cope-Norris, London
This is the best news I've heard in ages. The youth of London will no longer have to listen to Tall Paul spinning hard dance nonsense and I won't have to look at 16 year boys with their tops off in Clerkenwell. Hurrah for the property developers.
- Happy Of Hackney, London
I Loved turnmills and the cross and Canvas and the Key. This is a real shame. I'm going to stick to going to Promised parties at the Whitehouse from now on, in South London as at least they are not closing anytime soon.
- Francesca, London
All of these major venue closures could lead to another illegal party explosion, just as we saw in '88.. if the authorities can live with countless unlicensed gatherings, then fine.
Personally, I feel very sad about this but I'm not really surprised. Throughout history, all the seminal nightclubs (Paradise Garage, Hacienda et al) have had to shut up shop eventually.
Peace.
- Tim, Norwich, UK
I've been going to Turnmills for approximately 10 years and this is devastating news for the club. I wouldn't know how to survive the uniqueness of the place and its people without it. There is just no other place like it, this is very sad news if it goes ahead.
- Hermaish Heer, London, England
With the closing of Canvas and The Cross due to redevelopment in Kings Cross it seems that London's club scene is going to be dealt a bitter blow in 2008. Let's hope they can find new venues.
- Lee Washington, London
It seems that Derwent is particularly attracted by nightclubs. They also have bought from Mean Fiddler, the Astoria (and surronding club the Ghetto) at Charring Cross Rd / Oxford street corner to...transform them into offices.
Another very sad news for the London club/music scene.
- Stephane, Oxford
