Plans submitted to Southwark council suggest that the property owners could reopen Printworks as a “permanent cultural venue.”
It doesn’t seem all that long ago that Printworks closed the curtains on its final 2023 run of shows. Only three years after the fact, property developers British Land and AustralianSuper may reopen the South London printing factory-turned venue.
On Monday, the two firms submitted a proposal to the Southwark council outlining their plans for redevelopment. According to The Guardian, the end goal is to repurpose half of the building for offices and shops. The other half would return to its former glory as an electronic music venue. As with before, Broadwick Live would partner on it.
“What appeals to us about it is that it’s creating a new piece of city and a new district for London,” said Emma Cariaga of British Land. “We intend to create a permanent cultural venue and put it on the map globally. Over the last six years, Printworks has become an iconic venue for electronic music and one of the top five clubs in the world. But our plans seek to push that to deliver a much broader programme.”
“Having a big, versatile cultural venue in the area is important,” added Paul Clark of AustralianSuper. “We don’t want to have a monochrome office environment or a dormitory suburb.”
Printworks opened in 2017, four years after publications like Daily Mail and Evening Standard ceased printing at the location. Over the course of its six-year lifespan, the venue hosted performances by artists like Honey Dijon, Bicep, Peggy Gou, and Charlotte de Witte.
A repeat entry in the DJ Mag Top 100 Venues list, Printworks was also voted the second-best music venue in the world in a survey conducted by DJ Tech Reviews. Its final run of shows ran from February to May 2023 and included artists like deadmau5, Kaskade, Above & Beyond, and Adam Beyer.
If British Land and AustralianSuper’s plan is approved by the Southwark council, redevelopment could begin next year. It would include the construction of a brand-new rooftop terrace and smaller venue called The Inkwells.
