Motion Bristol is closing this July, with organisers announcing “an ambitious plan to relocate”
The club have started a relocation campaign for 'Motion 2.0' The post Motion Bristol is closing this July, with organisers announcing “an ambitious plan to relocate” appeared first on NME.
Motion Bristol has announced that it will be shutting its doors this July.
The nightclub previously put out a call to seek support while announcing its lease was due to expire this July, “despite our heartfelt request for a lease extension and to purchase the property”.
It added that it was left “facing immense uncertainty,” with manager Daniel Deeks telling the BBC that the closure of Motion would be “a huge loss to Bristol’s identity”.
Now, Motion has officially confirmed it will close in July, writing: “We’ve done everything we could to change the outcome. We submitted a detailed bid to buy the site, backed by full funding and a long-term vision for its future. But despite doing everything right, it’s become increasingly clear: we will not be open past July.”
“A huge thank you to our community for your unwavering support – we hope you’ll continue on this journey with us,” they continued in the caption.
As such, Motion have launched a new campaign to ‘Keep Motion Moving’. The team aims to fundraise £250,000 towards a deposit for a new venue. Over £3,600 has been donated in two days – you can donate here.
“Today, we’re proud to announce Motion 2.0: an ambitious plan to relocate and reimagine what Motion can be,” the team wrote about the new campaign. “A new venue. A new space. But with the same soul, the same ethos, the same commitment to underground music, to opportunity, to independence, and to support the Bristol scene we love…
“We want to build something even more sustainable, accessible, and community-driven. A space that isn’t at the mercy of short leases or developer pressure. A venue with roots. One that gives back just as much as it takes in.”
To commemorate the loss of the club, Motion have unveiled a series of closing parties for the next three months. Partiboi69, Joseph Capriati, Dusky, Hot Since ’82, Dimension and Bullet Tooth are some of the many names announced to close out Motion’s last shows, with Motion hosting their final running party ‘Just Jack’ for July 19. Take a look at all the events here.
The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has previously warned that UK clubbing could be “extinct” by the end of the decade, according to a report published in October last year.
It shared that 37 per cent of all clubs across the country have permanently shut since March 2020 – an average of three clubs a week and 150 per year. If the trend continues, all spaces in the UK will have closed their doors by December 31, 2029.
The NTIA previously shared that, of the 480 nightclubs that were closed between June 2020 to June 2024, 67 took place between December 2023 and June 2024. Lancashire, Scotland and Yorkshire were some of the worst hit regions, with the latter suffering a 45 per cent decrease in venues.
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