A new year, a new dawn for London’s club scene

A new year, a new dawn for London’s club scene

31 December, 2007 | 5.38AM

• Written by: Terry Church
• Filed under: Music News: canvas, the cross, the key, turnmills

London’s club scene is set for its biggest shake up in a decade in 2008, as developers move in on top clubs across the capital.

Whilst The Cross, Canvas and The Key will see their last dance tonight (New Year’s Eve) before being bulldozed for the new Kings Cross Channel Tunnel Rail Link, it has just been revealed that famous superclub Turnmills in Faringdon is to be turned into office blocks.

The Landlord Derwent London has been granted permission to build a two-storey rooftop extension on the site.

Turnmills famous laser-covered compact dancefloor will be turned into a bland office space.

Islington council’s planning committee have already given permission for the change of use from a club to offices.

A spokesman for Turnmills confirmed to the Evening Standard that the club was closing but said he did not know when and suggested Turnmills could find a new home.

Club history

The closure of Turnmills is another sign that London’s club scene is set for a major change in 2008.

In its heyday, Turnmills was a superclub to rival Ministry of Sound.

It was the first club in the city to be granted a 24 hour dancing license, and was the home of Trade, the first afterhours club in Britain.

During the late 1990s, Turnmills and its long running Friday night party The Gallery, flew the neon flag for trance and hosted some of the genres biggest DJs.

It helped popularise the sound in Britain.

But over the years numbers to the club began to dwindle.

In the fast-changing world of London’s club scene, Turnmills failed to adapt.

Like many superclubs in Britain, when the era of big rooms and overpaid superstar DJs ended, the club lost its direction.

Then in November 2005 when 24 hour licensing was introduced to Britain and small underground bars in East London became clubbing du jour, Turnmills lost its unique selling point.

The club attempted to jump on the afterhours bandwagon by hosting Sunday morning parties such as Tim Sheridan’s Veryveryverywrong, but the parties always felt like a pastiche of afterhours clubbing - a bad copy.

It didn’t help that Turnmills ignored the explosion of minimal and techno, and chose to stick by its trance and house guns.

A new generation

Ultimately, the truth is, Turnmills should have retired a long time ago.

The club itself is still a great venue with top sound and lighting, but because it is so old it has has lost its youthful zing.

Clubbing has always been about innovation, revolution and rebelliousness, but to 16 and 17 years olds just getting into clubbing, Turnmills is the place their older brother or sister went to, maybe even a spot their dad threw some shapes at.

And that simply isn’t cool.

It’s clear that 2008 will be a crucial year for clubbing in London.

The closure of four of the city’s biggest dance clubs means there’s a whopping great big gap in the market now.

Some new dance spots are bound to crop up in the next 12 months as savvy club promoters and investors look to exploit the situation.

Let’s hope that they are as innovative and forward-thinking as London derserves.

Beatportal wishes a Happy New Year to all of our fabulous users. See you on the dancefloor.

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