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The Review - MUSIC - grooves with CHARLOTTE CHAMBERS
Published: 28 February 2008
 

The end of an era: Turnmills is about to disappear from London’s club scene
‘Honestly, I wouldn’t have changed a single day of it’

INTERVIEW
DANNY NEWMAN


TURNMILLS director Danny Newman has been associated with the nightclub ever since his father bought the Clerk­enwell building 23 years ago.
Roisin Gadelrab asked him about the “end of an era” ­weekend next month, when the legendary club closes down, and whether the area is ­losing its charm.


Roisin Gadelrab: What has Islington meant to the club and to you?
Danny Newman: We have always been very much a London club and never really got into the whole super club thing. I think that’s why we lasted as long as we did – we just did our own thing and tried to put on the best shows possible.
I think it could have worked in other areas of London for sure, but I’m glad we did it in Islington as I grew up round here and so did a lot of my ­family and friends.
I’m proud that we had a hand in putting it on the map.

RG: How did it start?
DN: At first the venue was a wine bar and we kind of grew into a club over the years, slowly getting bigger over time. I pretty much grew up there.

RG: Why did Turnmills come to the area in the first place? And what is it about the area that made you stay for 23 years?
DN: We first moved to the area because it was pretty much out of the way – the location was good as it was five minutes from the West End and five minutes from the river and down the road from the Angel.

RG: Will you miss it? Will you be sad to leave?
DN: It’s always sad when you finish a ­chapter in your life, but it’s also very exciting to start a new one.
Of course we will miss it, but we have a lot of adventures on the horizon to keep us busy.
I have been asked that question a lot lately, but I can honestly say I would not have
changed a single day of it.
It’s been a roller-coaster, that’s for sure – Never a dull moment!

RG: There have been reports about other clubs in the area closing down or moving on. Is the King’s Cross/Old Street/Farringdon area losing its charm?
DN: Far from it. If anything it’s just drawn a lot of attention to the place with the rail links, the general vibe of the area – the shops and the nightlife. There are a lot of businesses relocating to the area, that’s why there has been the [large] amount of new developments in recent years. Sadly, there have been too many people and not enough office spaces and facilities to accommodate them. But I don’t think it will ever lose its charm.

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