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Turnmills, the 24-hour dance club, to be turned into offices
Ruth Bloomfield28 Aug 2009
THE site of one of the most famous clubs of the Nineties is facing demolition.
Turnmills in Clerkenwell was the first club to obtain a 24-hour dance licence. Now the building could be replaced by a seven-storey glass and brick office block under plans revealed by a property developer this week. Islington council is expected to rule on the proposal this year.
The venue attracted some of the biggest names in dance music including Fatboy Slim, Tall Paul, Judge Jules and the Chemical Brothers - and was the home of Trade, the first after-hours club in Britain. Pete Doherty recorded in the Turnmills studio.
Nick DeCosemo, editor of clubbers' magazine Mixmag, said the venue would be sorely missed. "It hosted a lot of long-running and respected club nights like Heavenly Social, Trade and Together," he said.
"The thing about Turnmills was that it was like a sweaty rave den.
"It never became a plush, slick VIP sort of club and that was part of its appeal." Turnmills' popularity dwindled in recent years and its reputation was marred by violence including the shooting of Jason Fearon. The 26-year-old died outside the club attempting to escape armed robbers who had burst into the venue.
Turnmills finally closed last March, after 23 years.
The new development will have room for restaurants and shops. However, even if planning permission is given, developer Derwent London is unlikely to begin work soon. This week it announced net losses of more than £200million for the first half of the year and confirmed a freeze on all major projects.
Mr DeCosemo said London's club scene would survive despite a series of closures this year - The Astoria made way for Crossrail, and the Cross, the Key and Canvas were shut by the King's Cross redevelopment. "The club scene has always been transitory," he said. "New venues will spring up and close down all the time."
