Broadwick to open new venue, Exhibition London, in Shepherd’s Bush
Broadwick Venues, the venue arm of UK festival promoter Broadwick Live, has announced plans for a major new music venue and events space at the Westfield shopping centre in Shepherd’s Bush, west London.
Scheduled to open at the end of 2019, Exhibition London – named after its proximity to the site of the Franco-British Exhibition of 1908 – will repurpose the grade II-listed Dimco East building, a Victorian structure originally built as an electricity generating station for the London Underground, as a 3,000-capacity events venue.
Conceived by Broadwick Venues – also owner/operator of the Printworks venue in Canada Water – the 34,000sqft venue is “primed to host high-profile live music events, brand experiences, product launches, exhibitions, conferences, award ceremonies and community events”, according to Broadwick, which says Exhibition forms part of a string of new venues planned across the UK.
Bradley Thompson, MD of Broadwick Live and Venues, says: “Exhibition represents an important moment in the evolution of Westfield London, creating a unique entertainment hub and enhancing the area’s cultural kudos. It will attract and serve not only the local community, but the ever-increasing number of people who rightly view White City [north of Shepherd’s Bush] as one of the most exciting growth places in the capital. The location is perfect and the building itself is incredible.
“The location is perfect and the building itself is incredible”
“We are committed to respecting its past and investing in its future, offering fantastic, contemporary experiences against a stunning Victorian backdrop.”
Michel Dessolain, COO, Europe, for Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield, which operates the shopping centre, adds: “Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield creates unique and innovative destinations globally where our customers can shop, dine, be entertained and connect. Our partnership with Broadwick Venues, one of the biggest players in the events industry in the UK, and through the support of London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, will deliver an amazing new entertainment experience and will be a leading new events venue in London.”
Work begins on Exhibition – located less than half a mile away from the long-running 2,000-cap. Shepherd’s Bush Empire venue, operated by Academy Music Group – ahead of its opening later this year.
Vibration Group, Broadwick’s partner on Printworks, has announced plans for its own 3,000-cap. venue on the Greenwich peninsula, Magazine, close to the O2 – while Madison Square Garden is plotting an arena in the vicinity of London’s other Westfield, in Stratford.
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Field Day trades fields for warehouses for 2019
After a year in Brockwell Park, Brixton, in 2018, popular UK festival Field Day will relocate again next summer – to a ten-acre former industrial space at Meridian Water, near Tottenham Marshes in north London.
Perhaps taking inspiration from owner Broadwick Live’s Printworks venue – located at an old printworks in Canada Water – the festival’s new home is the site of a former gasworks, and comprises a ten-acre outdoor space featuring four giant, interlinked warehouses. The largest of which, at a capacity of 7,500, will be the biggest warehouse venue for music in London.
And in news that will be music to the ears of fans and south London busybodies – many of whom mobilised to oppose the use of Brockwell Park as a venue in 2018 – alike, the non-residential nature of the new Field Day site means its curfew will be later than any other festival in London.
The site is located a short walk from the new Meridian Water station, set to open in May 2019.
Field Day formerly took place in Victoria Park in east London – now exclusive to AEG and the home of its All Points East festival.
“This new site will allow us to break down the restrictions that London festivals are normally faced with”
Luke Huxham, Field Day festival director, says: “2019 will mark the start of a new chapter for Field Day and a completely new type of festival for London. This new site will allow us to break down the restrictions that London festivals are normally faced with and deliver an unrivalled experience.
“It’s hugely exciting to be working with such a pioneering council [Enfield], who support our ideas and are focused on creating a new cultural hub for London. We can’t wait to unveil more of our plans in the coming weeks”.
“Broadwick Venues are extremely excited and proud to be embarking on a new and exciting journey and hosting one of our own festivals, Field Day, at our new permanent venue and site,” adds Bradley Thompson, of Broadwick Live’s Venues division.
“There couldn’t be a more important time to focus on and replenish London’s music and nightlife culture, and this truly allows us to break the boundaries on what metropolitan festivals should be – and perfectly compliments our other London location and venue, Printworks.”
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