Christopher BarrettFestival promoter Broadwick Live’s venue operating division Broadwick Venues is expanding its portfolio with new open air London venue Dockyards.
The move follows the end of Broadwick’s temporary lease of The Drumsheds (cap. 10,000) venue in Enfield, which was used to stage events including Broadwick’s Field Day festival before the lease was returned to Enfield Council, which is redeveloping the site as part of its £6bn, 25-year Meridian Water regeneration programme.
The company said its 400,000 sq ft open air Dockyards venue at East London’s Royal Docks, due to open in September, is a transformable space that will provide organisers with the ability to create bespoke backdrops and settings for major events. The audience capacity of Dockyards is yet to be confirmed.
The first in a series of events to be presented in partnership with Broadwick Live at Dockyards are Defected London, on 3-4 September, and Above & Beyond Group Therapy Weekender on 10-11 September.
The promoter and venue operator said Dockyards will also be available for film production, cultural events, brand experiences and corporate events.
Broadwick Live group MD Bradley Thompson said, “We’re really excited to open Dockyards, creating a new centre of cultural gravity for London in the heart of The Royal Docks.”
Separately, Broadwick Live-owned venue operator Venue Lab is opening a new 5,000-capacity indoor venue in Royal Docks in April.
The company said the venue, which is accessible by the DLR and only a short walk from London City airport, will offer a similar aesthetic to Venue Lab’s 6,000-capacity Printworks London.
It said The Beams will operate under a hybrid model. It will be used for filming, photo shoots, music, cultural events, brand events, large scale set builds, exhibitions, fashion shows and the arts.
As well as Printworks London in Canada Water, other Venue Lab spaces include Exhibition London (cap. 2,000) in White City and Depot Mayfield (10,000) in Manchester.
Venue Lab chief operating officer Simon Tracey said, “Drawing on our existing experience of transforming under-utilised spaces to create valuable environments for all stakeholders, the launch of The Beams will bring an exciting new venue to a prime location in the Royal Docks, an area which is undergoing significant change.”