“It’s likely that we’ll have to close in July”: Motion Bristol issues update on its future
The Bristol club said it has put forward a “strong” bid to the landlords of the Motion site
Bristol nightclub Motion has issued an update on its future just months after revealing that its lease is set to come to an end in 2025.
In November, the club urged for support to prevent its closure, writing in a statement: “Despite our heartfelt request for a lease extension and to purchase the property, the current owners have refused, leaving us facing immense uncertainty.”
Motion’s lease is due to expire in July 2025, they revealed, almost 20 years after the club originally opened up on Avon Street in Bristol in 2006.
In a statement published on Instagram earlier today, the club explained that it’s becoming "increasingly likely that we’ll have to leave the venue in July” despite efforts to remain.
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“We’ve put forward a strong, carefully thought-out bid to the landlords of the Motion site – one that not only offers a significant sum of money but also lays out a solid planning case for why the venue must remain,” the club wrote.
The venue said it aims to secure its future for “generations to come” after becoming a staple nightlife spot in Bristol. “[Motion is] a vital part of Bristol’s cultural and economic ecosystem,” they said.
Motion also noted the current loss of nightclubs devastating UK nightlife. “We can see how easily these spaces can be lost," they wrote. "It's happening in every major city, and it's happening here."
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Despite its expected closure, Motion retained that it is working to “secure the strongest possible future” for the club, explaining that it has secured “significant” financial backing and support from local bodies – an “important step” towards its future.
Motion has also made efforts to have the venue registered as an Asset of Community Value, and promises to “keep fighting”. “We’ve got big news coming soon,” the statement adds.
Read Motion’s statement in full below.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter