One of London's more unusual live music venues will close for business next month after both internal and external pressures made its operations unviable.
The Union Chapel Project has run arts and music events in the North London church from which it takes its name since 1992. Initially set up as a way of raising funds for the restoration of the church, over the years it became an important arts centre and popular music venue, hosting concerts from the likes of Patti Smith, Bjork, Salif Keita, Ravi Shankar, Beck and David Byrne.
The charity that runs the church's arts and music side has faced a number of challenges from local residents associations and the local council in the last year. Although many of those had been overcome, organisers finally admitted defeat last week after a small majority of the church's membership voted to ban the consumption of alcohol in the main performing space of the church - making it a much less attractive venue for arts and music events.
Confirming the church would stop operating as an arts and music venue next month, a spokesman for the Union Chapel Project told reporters yesterday: "It is with great regret that the directors of Union Chapel Project announce that UCP will be closing at the end of January 2005. UCP will therefore no longer be accepting bookings thus ending over thirteen years as a popular, award-winning, contemporary, international music and arts venue".