The Final Dance: Inside the last ever party at London’s Printworks

They say all good things must come to an end.

Over the weekend, Printworks marked the end of an era - at least for the time being - which saw clubbers gather for one last time in the Press Halls of the iconic southeast London venue. The emotional last dance celebrated six years of history in Surrey Quays with some of the biggest and brightest global acts and over a million guests during its short but sweet tenure.

The club’s closing weekend welcomed more than 75 acts on stage across four days to commemorate six years of dance music history, including Peggy Gou, Camelphat, Andy C, DJ Koze, Black Coffee, Mixtress, BAMBII, and Jaguar, as well as a special guest appearance from Bicep who closed off the final party on Monday, May 1.

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Printworks first opened in 2017 from the team behind Broadwick Live boasting six acres of space, outdoor areas, and a maze of corridors, rooms, and offices in an industrial setting once home to a printing plant. In July 2022, Printworks announced that it would close the following year and be renovated into offices. Thousands of people called for the venue to be saved through petitions, but were unable to sway Southwark Council who approved plans for the site’s renovation.

The legacy of Printworks remains after a monumental half decade, playing host to a myriad of events from orchestral concerts to fashion shows, and even appeared as the backdrop for Hollywood film The Batman, on top of its consistently sold-out electronic events.

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Despite its closure, the team behind Printworks announced the venue’s hopeful return to the Press Halls in 2026, which will see them continue to work alongside British Land to recreate “the essence of the iconic Press Halls”. For now, Printworks will remain a beloved memory for London’s club scene.

“Printworks has brought lasting impact to our scene, to our city, to artists and our local community,” says Simeon Aldred, Director of Strategy at Broadwick. “The future Printworks venue aims to build on this, bringing together all the best in all electronic music and visual arts, both as well as hosting some of the world's best orchestras, ballet companies and other art forms”.

Check out the best photos from Printworks’ Closing Weekend below.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Assistant Editor, follow her on Twitter

Photographers: Jake Philip Davis, Khali Photography, Luke Dyson