Printworks was a

nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...

and events venue in

Rotherhithe Rotherhithe ( ) is a district of South London, England, and part of the London Borough of Southwark. It is on a peninsula on the south bank of the Thames, facing Wapping, Shadwell and Limehouse on the north bank, with the Isle of Dogs to the ea ...

, South London. Taking its name from the building's former use for newspaper printing, it became one of the UK's top nightclubs. Closed for redevelopment in 2023, the Press Halls section of the building is scheduled to reopen as a music and events venue in 2026.

History

Printworks was located in the former Harmsworth Quays printing plant, which printed newspapers including the ''Daily Mail'' and ''Evening Standard'' until 2012. Some features of the printing plant were retained including the van loading dock and metal stairs, creating an industrial feel in the club. The premises had an overall capacity of 6,000 people across two performance rooms: the Press Halls and Inkwells (formerly known as the Darkroom). The site was also available for hire and was used for events, movies and commercials.

Artists, music and perception

The venue opened in 2017 with an event by

Seth Troxler Seth Troxler is an American DJ and record producer from Lake Orion, Michigan. His DJ work focuses on house and techno, while he has produced on the Wolf + Lamb, Crosstown Rebels and Circus Company labels, collaborating with artists Art Department ...

The Martinez Brothers The Martinez Brothers are a duo of disc jockeys, music producers, and remixers from The Bronx, New York known for their long-term residencies at clubs in Ibiza. In 2014, they were named as DJs of the year by ''Mixmag'', who wrote that "no other ...

and

Loco Dice Loco Dice (born Yassine Ben Achour on 10 August 1974) is a Tunisian-German DJ and electronic music producer born and based in Düsseldorf, Germany. He is best known for his work in the house and tech house genres and his residencies at Ibiza n ...

. It primarily focused on electronic music, but had hosted other genres such as orchestral music. Printworks was described by ''

Mixmag ''Mixmag'' is a British electronic dance and clubbing magazine published in London. Launched in 1983 as a print magazine, it has branched into dance events, including festivals and club nights. History The first issue of ''Mixmag'' was printe ...

'' as "the saviour London clubbing desperately needed" and as "one of the most striking venues the capital city, if not the country, has to offer". The venue was repeatedly voted into the "Top 100 Clubs" list by the readers of ''

DJ Magazine ''DJ Magazine'' (also known as ''DJ Mag'') is a British monthly magazine dedicated to electronic dance music and DJs. Founded in 1991, the magazine is adapted for distribution in the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, France, Italy, Lati ...

''. The venue followed a template similar to that of The Warehouse Project, where events were run (around 20) in seasons - for a period of weeks (around 13), but not throughout the full year. Generally, SS (spring and summer) ran from February until April, then AW runs from September until December, with occasional special events, such as New Year's Eve and bank holidays.

Closure and redevelopment of the area

In autumn 2021, the owners of the site,

British Land The British Land Company Public Limited Company is one of the largest property development and investment companies in the United Kingdom. The firm became a real estate investment trust when REITs were introduced in the UK in January 2007. It ...

, submitted plans to

Southwark Council Southwark London Borough Council, also known as Southwark Council, is the local authority for the London Borough of Southwark in Greater London, England. It is a London borough council, one of 32 in London. The council has been under Labour major ...

to redevelop the site into office buildings which would involve the demolition of the Printworks venue. This was widely opposed by the music community as destruction of a key part of London's music scene. In 2022, the plans were approved, meaning 2023 will be the last season for music events in the venue after outcry from the community saved the venue. The team opened a new venue in East London, called The Beams, in October 2022. Printworks held its final event on 1 May 2023. During the event, the organisers announced Printworks 2.0 which they are planning to reopen some time in 2026. In the final year before its closure, Printworks came second in ''

DJ Mag ''DJ Magazine'' (also known as ''DJ Mag'') is a British monthly magazine dedicated to electronic dance music and DJs. Founded in 1991, the magazine is adapted for distribution in the United Kingdom, the United States, Spain, France, Italy, Lati ...

s top 100 global clubs award. In February 2024, British Land and the architects Hawkins\Brown unveiled plans to reinstate and create a permanent music venue in one half of the large former Printworks building (the Press Halls). The other half, named The Grand Press, would be used for sustainable workspace and retail. The new spaces are scheduled to open in 2026.

Appearances

Film

Music videos

TV series

Awards and nominations

DJ Magazine's top 100 clubs

References

{{reflist Music venues completed in 2017 2017 establishments in England 2023 disestablishments in England Nightclubs in London Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Southwark