More details have been revealed about the plan to open a permanent venue at the site previously operated as Printworks London, with property developers submitting detailed proposals to Southwark Council.
“We intend to create a permanent cultural venue and put it on the map globally", says Emma Cariaga, who is jointly leading the project for British Land, the property company that is redeveloping the site. “What appeals to us about it is that it’s creating a new piece of city and a new district for London".
Promoters Broadwick Live operated Printworks in an old newspaper printing plant in South East London for six years from 2017.
The venue was always intended to be a temporary venture while long-term plans for the site were agreed. But when it was announced that those long term plans had been finalised and that the venue would close, more than 11,000 people signed a petition calling for the Printworks venue to remain.
Although Southwark Council stressed that the Printworks venue had always been intended as a temporary use of the site, it also revealed that a permanent cultural space was part of British Land's plan and that it would be working with Broadwick Live to develop that space.
Then, following a closing party in May 2023, Broadwick Live said, “we are delighted to announce that Printworks hopes to return in three years and that we will continue to work with our partners at British Land to create the future cultural venue that retains the essence of the iconic Press Halls".
According to the new more detailed proposal, the new venue will occupy about half of the existing building. The rest of the property will be redeveloped into offices and shops. It is hoped planning permission will be granted by the council within a few months.
According to The Guardian, "architects HawkinsBrown have sought to preserve the original industrial look of the Press Halls, which [will] host electronic dance music club nights, concerts, immersive art shows and corporate events". There will also be a smaller performance space for "immersive exhibitions and intimate music events".
Confirming that the venue is a key part of the development, Paul Clark from one of the project's backers, AustralianSuper, says: “Having a big, versatile cultural venue in the area is important. We don’t want to have a monochrome office environment or a dormitory suburb".