Southwark Council approved plans to bulldoze a portion of the structure currently devoted to the storied venue. The decision was made in a July 11th meeting, according to My London. It is part of an initiative called the Canada Water Masterplan intended to transform a 21.27 hectare area around Canada Water into a metropolitan hub, creating 20,000 jobs in the process.

The though of Printworks shuttering its doors is nonetheless controversial. As of this writing, over 10,000 people have signed a Change.org petition to prevent the venue from meeting its apparent fate. It cites data from the Night Time Industries Association indicating that London has lost nearly 25% of its nightclubs since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis.

Printworks London opened its doors to the public in 2017 with a gathering headlined by Seth Troxler, The Martinez Brothers, and Loco Dice. In the years since, acts like Bicep, Gorillaz, and Aphex Twin have performed at the venue. Its parent company, Broadwick Live, recently shared plans to open another warehouse space called The Beams London.

David Waters of British Land has said that the property management company is working with Broadwick live to open a new “cultural venue” in the Canada Water area.

Located in East London’s Royal Docks, the venue is opening with a launch event from September 3rd-4th hosted by Defected. After that, Above & Beyond are bringing their renowned Group Therapy Weekender from September 10th-11th. The exact lineup for each gathering has yet to be announced.

Events will taking place year round at the venue, pushing music and other cultural lanes. Covering 400,000 sqare feet, Dockyards also provides room for film productions or brand presentations.

The venue is a venture of Broadwick Live, the minds behind Manchester’s Depot Mayfield plus famous London clubs Printworks and The Drumsheds. Due to COVID-19, the latter closed indefinitely at the beginning of 2022.

On this new project, Broadwick Live Group Managing Director Bradley Thompson said in a statement, “We’re really excited to open Dockyards, creating a new center of cultural gravity for London in the heart of The Royal Docks. Dockyards will shape the area through cultural and commercial innovation by bringing a year-round program of events and activities in partnership with the world’s best. As a Broadwick Live venue, visitors and artists are assured of a world-class experience, while we also deliver meaningful impact for the area and local communities.”

For more information on lineups and event dates, check the Dockyards London website.

Located in a southeast area known as Canada Water, Printworks London is a popular nightclub built in a former printing press warehouse. The 6,000-person capacity venue opened in 2017 sporting two performance spaces, one called The Press Halls and the other called The Darkroom. As part of its Fall 2021 reopening plans, the club opened a third space called The Inkwell.

Called the Canada Water Masterplan, the 53-acre,  £4 billion project aims to revitalize the area with modern shops, office spaces, homes, and other facilities. Part of the plan includes two Reserved Matters Applications. The first proposes creating “a sustainable, office-led redevelopment of the Printworks building,” while the second details plans for building a new road along the top area of the site named Printworks Street.

While the property is owned by British Land, the Printworks London venue itself is run by event management company Broadwick Live. In a written statement on the Canada Water Masterplan website, British Land states that “culture will play an important role as part of a new urban centre at Canada Water.”

British Land’s statement says that the two organizations are in discussions about the future of the popular nightclub.

“Inkwells will feature lighting focused on complementing the industrial architecture of the room, highlighting the historical ink distribution pipes, pillars, and electrical services within the space,” reads a statement on the Printworks London homepage. “Stacks of speakers and subs will be staggered across the room to give maximum sound coverage and clarity.”

“The launch of Inkwells has been many months in the making and is a sign of our desire to ensure the reopening season is Printworks’ best to date,“ it goes on. “The Redacted reopening weekend and launch of Inkwells mark a new chapter for Printworks London as we prepare to welcome our community back to the dance with an experience unlike anything else.“

From September 17th onwards, Printworks is slated to reopen its doors after 18 months of closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The programming through late December has already been announced; guests can catch performances Adam Beyer, Green Velvet, and Modeselektor amongst others. Tickets are already sold out for most events.

Printworks London first opened its doors for the public in January 2017. Including Inkwells, it now contains three rooms.

Find additional information on the Printworks London website.