Turnmills Club Closing Down
The Famous London Late-Night Music Venue Is to Become Office Blocks
After 23 years and more than 3,000 events, one of London's biggest late-night clubs prepares to host its final crowd of revelers this Easter Weekend.
Turnmills was the first venue in the UK to obtain a 24-hour dance license and was a pioneering part of the movement to all-new all-night clubbing during the 1990s. The club was also the home of ‘Trade,’ the first after-hours club in the country which opened at 4am on a Sunday morning.
In January 2008, however, following rumours in the industry, the super-club officially announced its impending closure. The statement given by director Danny Newman, citing business reasons (read his farewell interview).
Despite its enduring popularity, the landlord apparently wants to redevelop the site into office blocks now that the building’s lease is up for renewal and Turnmills has decided to end on a high note after Islington’s council approved the plans.
Club Nights at Turnmills
Over the years, Turnmills, which lies in the capital’s central district of Clerkenwell, has played host to some of the most prestigious and ground-breaking club nights, from electro-rave duo The Chemical Brothers’ weekly ‘Heavenly Social’ residency to the popular and long-running Saturday gig ‘The Gallery’ which has attracted a host of superstar DJs as well as showcasing a host of new techno and house talent.
During 14 years of ‘The Gallery’ and with the addition of Friday’s ‘Smartie Party,’ the venue is regularly filled to capacity, attracting both a regular clientele from the London electronic scene through its relatively small size and intimate atmosphere and party-goers from further afield by its reputation.
Famous Moments in Clerkenwell
As with all venues of its size and stature, a few hazy paparazzi-captured nights have punctuated its history, with famous faces as Michael Jackson and Alexander O’Neil celebrating their birthdays at the club. Bjork and Madonna were regular guests at ‘Trade,’ with Robbie Williams and his entourage dropping by at ‘The Gallery’ and Noel Gallagher and Keith Allen often propping up the bar at 90s ‘Get Loaded!’
Other memories include a wedding proposal in the middle of the dance floor by a brave member and the sprinkling of ashes in the main room.
Although Turnmills has continued to attract a sell-out crowd throughout its history, problems with gang violence has decreased its attendance since the heyday of the 90s techno and house scene. The famous club has been a victim of armed robbery and a father-of-2 from Edmonton was killed in a gun battle back in 2003.
These stories, however, are only a handful of superficial moments in a club whose history has captured the imagination and dance moves of thousands of clubbers since its opening.
This Easter sees three special nights at the super-club for a farewell party and a tribute to its past.
Turnmills closure marks an historic loss to the London rave scene but it leaves a legacy of after-hours venues and a tradition of late night raving which has come to define and characterise dance and techno clubs in the capital.
