Legendary nightclub Printworks to close for good despite 10,000 people calling for it to be saved

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

Iconic nightclub Printworks will be turned into offices and shops despite more than 10,000 people calling for it to be saved.

Southwark council approved plans to partially bulldoze and refurbish the legendary warehouse venue in Canada Water at a planning meeting last night.

The club, where world famous DJs including Bicep and Pete Tong have played, will be turned into 45,000 sq metres of retail, office and co-working space as part of the proposals.

Up to 3,000 new jobs will be created through the project by developer British Land.

Printworks opened in 2017 as a temporary entertainment space in the former Harmsworth Quays printing works building.

The 6,000 capacity nightclub went on to become one of the UK’s best known clubs and was ranked seventh 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, which will transform a 21-hectare area – the same size as 39 football pitches – around Canada Water.

The area includes Surrey Quays Shopping Centre, Surrey Quays Leisure Park and the Printworks building.

About 20,000 jobs are expected to be created nearby through the regeneration scheme.

More than 10,000 people signed a Change.org petition calling for Printworks to be saved, but no-one spoke in opposition to the proposals at a planning meeting.

The petition describes the closure of the club as “heartbreaking” and says the offices will kill the area’s soul.

It reads: “To lose this beloved venue would be heartbreaking. 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 1990s, according to figures from the Night Time Industries Association.

“Printworks offers a vibrant and beloved creative space for many of the city’s music lovers to express themselves without fear of judgement.

“To remove that in the name of further corporatisation of the city would be to rip the soul of the area and heartbreaking to thousands of people.”

But David Walters, project lead from British Land, said the Printworks building was essential to the regeneration of the area.

He said: “Printworks is critical to this master plan. It alone will provide space for about 3,000 jobs.

“It will provide shops and restaurants alongside the new public park. It provides important bus infrastructure for Transport for 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 master plan.”

Pictured top: Stormzy performing at Printworks in 2021 (Picture: PA)