London grassroots venue Matchstick Piehouse to reopen following successful community campaign

Grassroots south London venue Matchstick Piehouse will reopen in early 2025 following a successful yearlong community campaign.

The Deptford space was forced to shut its doors in November 2023 after it was unable to pay off rent arrears related to the COVID-19 shutdown, but a collective of staff and residents artists formed a workers co-op, the Piehouse Co-op, which has now negotiated fresh terms with the building’s landowners with help of Music Venues Trust (MVT).

Matchstick Piehouse is now fundraising for £15,000, following the £30,000 raised in 2023, to furnish the building after the original venue was stripped of all of its assets when it filed for insolvency, including lights, sound and furniture.

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It follows a tough few years for grassroots live music venues. In January, the MVT annual report revealed that 2023 had been the “most challenging year”, with 125 out of 960 surveyed venues ceasing to showcase live music, and over half of those venues closing down entirely.

In May, a Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) report found that the UK had lost five nightclubs a week in 2024.

Staff member Rosetta Carr said: “As a touring musician trying to survive the current climate in the music industry, having a place that allows me to work and have an income beside music and art is extremely valuable.

“Seeing all these amazing venues shutting down has been painful in the past years,” she continued. “We need to keep creativity alive, and for that spaces like the Piehouse are needed.”

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A fundraiser reopening event will take place on December 11 with tickets on sale now.

For more information and to donate to the Matchstick Piehouse fundraiser, click here.

Isaac Muk is a freelance writer, follow him on Bluesky