The Bethnal Green venue is having to shut due to rising rent costs.
In an Instagram post shared yesterday (13 July) Space 289 announced its imminent closure. The statement explains that in 2019 Transport for London sold off the Victorian Archway where the club is located to American investment bank Blackstone who are now more than doubling Space 289’s current rent.
“We have tried to fight them in court, but with mounting legal costs and no positive outcome in sight, we have no choice but to walk,” founder and director of the venue Harry Follett wrote. “As a small 200 cap venue trying to push good music, it’s not possible for us to generate enough income to survive such high rents. Nor do we want to begin the race to the cultural wastelands by putting on nights purely to make enough money to cover these excessive rents.”
The post goes on to thank everyone involved in the venue and who came through and “created such special moments here.” Follett added, “we hope to return in some form, but for now we need to take a breath and think about how we can come back stronger.”
Space 289 opened in 2019 and has hosted the likes of Shygirl, Loraine James, Jessy Lanza, aya and Kelman Duran. Read Space 289’s full statement below.
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