East London venue Dance Tunnel will close in August.
The Kingsland Road venue, which opened in late 2012, says in a statement released today that the closure is down to the "licensing climate" in Hackney. Most nights at Dance Tunnel run until 3 AM, though there are occasional 5 AM finishes that require a TEN (temporary event notice). These notices—essentially one-off license extensions—are difficult to obtain in Hackney, whose council will redraw its licensing system after withdrawing its 2015 proposal due to opposition from nightclub owners in East London. (At the time, Dance Tunnel owner Dan Beaumont called the licensing proposal "regressive and damaging.")
Here's Dance Tunnel's statement in full:We regret to announce that Dance Tunnel is to close its doors in August. Sadly the licensing climate in Hackney has made it impossible for us to get the hours we need to make Dance Tunnel sustainable in the long term. We would like to sincerely apologise to all the Tunnel Dancers who we are letting down. We really tried to make it work. Thanks to all the artists, DJs, promoters and family members who have shared their favourite music and moments with us over the last three-and-a-bit years. Thanks to everyone who has made our basement such a special place. Sorry we never got round to fixing that slope on the dance floor.
In addition to its house, disco and techno programming on Friday and Saturday nights, when it plays host to club nights from the likes of Ostgut Ton, Thunder, Mono_Cult and Tama Sumo's Your Love, the venue also hosts FWD>>, which relocated to Kingsland Road in 2013.
Beaumont contributed to a recent RA feature about the future of nightlife in the UK—read it here.
Photo credit: Nick Ensing