Jazz Cafe and Phonox owners to launch new 2,300-capacity venue in Stratford

The nightlife operator behind The Jazz Cafe, Phonox and Maiden Voyage Festival has unveiled details of its new project, set to land in East London next year.

The Columbo Group has newly acquired The Rex, a long-standing theatre venue located in Stratford, with plans to turn the space into a 2,300-capacity live music hall.

The Rex, which has been shuttered since 2023, will undergo a £15 million redevelopment over the next year with plans to open at the end of 2027.

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“The Rex has been part of London’s musical heritage, and we’re delighted to have the opportunity both to breathe life back into it and to grow our portfolio of spaces,” says Steve Ball, CEO of The Columbo Group.

The group promises to bring the new “flagship” venue to the area with hopes to contribute to Stratford’s “growth as an entertainment hub," and the local economy that surrounds it.

While no details have been revealed around its programming yet, The Rex will welcome a “wide range of artists” as a “significant cultural space in East London”.

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The Rex was originally built on Stratford High Street in 1896 as a theatre and opera house, later transforming into Rex Cinema in 1933. After the cinema’s closure in 1969, the venue continued to operate as a bingo hall, nightclub, and more.

Newham Council repossessed the building in 2013, and it sat empty for years before it was used as an office space and café through to 2023, when it was eventually shuttered.

Gemma Ross is Mixmag’s Associate Digital Editor, follow her on X