11 DJs tell us how they feel about Space Ibiza closing for good

Space is one of Ibiza's most iconic clubs. At the end of this season it will close for good.

Carl Cox's residency at the venue will come to an end after a mammoth 15 years and a slew of other big name artists and promoters, such as Tale Of Us, Elrow, Glitterbox and Onyx, will have to find new homes.

The keys to Space will be handed over to the Matutes Group, the company that owns the site of the venue (as well as VIP-inclined Ushuaïa, which lies opposite Space in Playa d'en Bossa). After months of rumour, it was revealed that it will continue to be a club into 2017 and beyond but many fear that one of the White Isle's original rave havens will be done up in a swanky manner that means it loses its soul.

Ibiza's clubbing landscape will look very different with Space gone and there's much debate about whether this will be good or bad for the island. What is for certain is that one of the world's most legendary clubs is closing and every raver worth their salt has had a fucking good time there.

With all of this in mind, we asked 11 DJs what Space closing for good means to them and Ibiza.

Having no Space in Ibiza is like having no Big Ben in London. It just doesn't make any sense. The first time I went to Ibiza I went to Space nine times in two weeks! For me it’s an institution and I think it’s such a massive shame to be saying goodbye to the venue this year. I think that even by changing the name it just won't be the same. I'll make sure to give it a proper send off and final goodbye this summer though, that’s for sure.

The closure of Space is the end of an era. I don't know what will happen with Space now that it is going back to the original owners. I presume it's going to be an extension of Ushuaïa, but I'm hoping it won't turn out to be another commercial outlet for all these EDM DJs that have ravaged the island in such a massive way. I'm just praying it doesn't turn into that, but only time will tell.

There's a real pinch in my heart due to all the memories I have from this place over the years. Even before they covered the Space Terrace, I used to go and party my heart out in that place. But everything comes to an end I guess. It's hard for me to accept this: some people deal with change easier than others, but I’m not that kind of person. I get very attached to things and it's hard to let go.

Space for me equals Carl Cox's night, which I’ve been playing since 2009. Mind you, he told me it's got to be seen as a happy moment, as he's finishing on a high. 15 years is enough and basically he’s onto the next exciting thing. So that's another way of viewing it!

If Space was to become a hotel that would mean there would be one less venue in Ibiza and things would become more competitive for the DJs. I mean, this summer I’m only playing DC10 and Space. I’m playing Space four times. So I suppose if Space wasn’t there I’d just be playing DC10, unless the elrow promoters find a new venue in Ibiza.

I think in the long run if Space isn’t replaced it could affect Ibiza. People are pulled to the island by all the clubs. Losing one club kind of weakens the whole thing, but I do think there’s more than enough for the scene to keep going. Ultimately Ibiza will be rammed for at least the next five years!

My first time at Space was in the summer of 2004. My best friend, sister and I were on holiday and at the time I was into all sorts of music, but had never really been exposed to underground electronic music. The penny dropped on the Sunset Terrace – still open air at the time – and led us to other clubs like DC10. When we got home we decided to turn right round and come back to work the season.

I'll be sad to see Space go because, like me, for a lot of people it was the first place where they really discovered the magic of Ibiza that lay beyond the cheesy clubs of San An. Playing the Terrace for Enter was a real moment for me a few years later, so I have a lot of happy memories, including seeing some of my friends from Leeds, like PBR Streetgang and Paul Woolford, hold down residencies there. Beyond the big floors, there were so many other talented but not so well known DJs to discover, like Ian Blevins and Jon Woodall. Space wasn't just a family; it was a community of music lovers.

In Ibiza there are some parties that run for seventeen years like Cocoon, but at the same time there is a constant change over here. In fact, for two decades Ibiza has become the island of constant change. If I’m being totally honest, I don’t get that excited anymore when things change here. I think it will be the same as every year. It’s going to be warm and it’s going to be great! Of course, it’s sad that Space is closing; I had some of my best moments in this club. But I’m also excited to see what the future will bring. I don’t think it’s necessarily going to be bad.

Personally I think losing Space is a big shame for the island. Recently, I was driving through Bossa with my tour manager after a commercial EDM party had finished and it just looked like people were there to buy an expensive bottle and stand around and chat up girls. It’s an entirely different world to the ethos of underground music and clubbing, which we do. It attracts the VIP culture to the island, which hikes up the price of everything, from clubs' drink prices to accommodation. With Space closing, I fear its replacement will be something which caters more for this kind of clientele. Hopefully the other underground venues on the island will continue to push forward, places like DC10, Amnesia, Underground, and I have to say I still love Sankeys as a venue. Long may these clubs continue to keep the true spirit of Ibiza alive.

I first heard rumours about Space closing a couple of years ago, but I wasn't really shocked. I’ve been going to Ibiza as a raver since I was 17, and personally speaking, the scene there has been losing its appeal for many years. Over commercialised. Over crowded. Over priced. The magic definitely began to disappear a while back and I don't see any way that the current movement away from the underground is going to stop or even slow down. With Space being no more, it’s really going to change the whole vibe in Playa d’en Bossa. All the low-rent bars and budget apartments full of teenagers on their first trip to Ibiza will go, and while I am sure Ibiza as a whole won’t miss them too much, it will change the demographic of people who visit over time. I know that if I was 18 all over again I’d much rather spend my money on a week at Hideout than a week in Ibiza. In fact, depending on what happens, I will also be reconsidering my plans for Ibiza 2017. I only started getting booked by Space in 2015, firstly for Carl Cox's night and then this season for Sundays with Do Not Sleep and also ONYX on Mondays. I really feel at home there. So for me it is going to leave a big hole to fill. That said, you have to try and see the positives. The club has been extra busy this season, so maybe a few more people have heard me play, which obviously works in my favour. I guess time will tell, but from my point of view Space closing does feel like the end of an era.

Losing Space this year is a devastating blow to an Ibiza scene that is really being kicked while it's down. Space has always been a shining light, representing the underground and one of the few truly legit institutions for music here. It does worry me that once it’s gone the EDM bottle service monster that's taking over will only get worse. With Amnesia in big trouble right now and Space in its last couple of months of existence, as a promoter and a DJ, 2017 looks a little scary as the pond could get a lot smaller for the specialist parties.

I don’t want to sound too negative as there's obviously still a lot of great clubs and some of the best parties in the world – DC10 will never change, Pikes throws the most Balearic-spirited parties and always will do, and Ibiza Rocks will always push the scene forward. In addition, Pacha still has some of the most incredible production on earth. So it’s not all grim, but the loss of Space will most definitely leave a huge void in all our hearts.

Of course it’s sad when any club closes, but it might actually switch up things in Playa d’en Bossa. If [the current Space site] becomes a bigger venue, [the promoters there] might end up booking us. We love coming over to Ibiza and if there’s another potential venue where we can perform our live show then that’s a good thing for us.

We just hope things don’t get too expensive. If the prices keep going up then the kids just aren’t going to be able to afford it. That’s why you’re seeing a massive spike in the popularity of places like Croatia. People are going there because it’s affordable. They can have a beer for the equivalent of about £1 rather than spending €8 on water. We’ve always had an issue with the price of things in Ibiza. It feels like it’s a bit over the top.

Space closing is obviously going to leave a huge hole as it’s been such a big part of clubbing on the island for so long. I’ve played at Space and I’m playing once this summer. It’s never been a permanent home for me as a DJ, but I’ve more than enjoyed spending time there as a clubber. I’ll miss it immensely as I've had some of the best nights of my life on the Terrace, it’s one of the reasons I do what I do; but I think change is exciting. It’s an opportunity for the island to develop. Of course it means more competition but that just means the best nights will be successful.

It’s not fair to say Ibiza has lost integrity just because new venues have opened and a different style of clubber has also started coming. The essence of Ibiza will always remain because it’s such a unique place with so much heritage. I just hope that young, excited dance music fans can still afford to come and experience what we have been able to for years, as the success of Ibiza depends on that.

Well, it's a great shame that Space has to close, but the reality is that it leaves an amazing legacy for the electronic music industry. A club that has repeatedly won the award for best club in the world will always be remembered. It's been so nice to see an ibicenco like us – Pepé Rosello from San Antonio – become recognised worldwide. We really hope Pepé surprises us with a new project.

Moving forward, the venue itself will continue to operate under a new direction, so it’s not like it will completely disappear. Playa d'en Bossa today has two massive venues that attract thousands of people and that will be exactly the same next year, so in that sense, things won’t change. With the new club we’ll surely see some new DJs and promoters, as well as some moves from existing players – this is how it has always been in Ibiza. It’s a shame to lose one of the icons of Ibiza, but the show must go on. Long live Space!

Johnny Lee is Mixmag's Ibiza correspondent