Bristol club Motion to close in July 2025

Bristol nightclub Motion has announced it will close its doors in July 2025 when its current lease ends.

The club is well regarded as one of the best cultural venues in the world, having been in DJ Mag's list of the top 100 clubs for the past 13 years.

The 4,000-capacity venue attracts people from around the world and regularly hosts some of the biggest names in music while also supporting smaller acts.

In a statement, Motion Events Ltd said it is "with a heavy heart" that it was announcing the closure due to the "impending expiration" of its lease at Avon Street.

"Despite our heartfelt request for a lease extension and to purchase the property, the current owners have refused, leaving us facing immense uncertainty," the firm added.

Motion also issued appeal to the community, saying "Your voices resonate powerfully; they hold the potential to advocate for a future in which Motion continues to thrive and enrich Bristol's cultural landscape.

"Together, we can remind decision-makers of the value of a place steeped in history, love, and community."

In a separate statement the firm's managing director Daniel Deeks explained that running Motion has always involved a "balancing act" of running its operations while respecting the landlord's potential plans to sell it.

He confirmed Motion Events had an opportunity to buy the venue - but only "if it were not used as a going concern". This type of sale would have enabled Motion to continue running as is during and after the sale.

Mr Deeks said the firm created a "detailed plan" to "maximise" the sale value for the landlord and develop the site to add creative spaces above the main venue. He said these plans were supported by Bristol City Council, which recognises Motion as an important cultural space and an economic asset for the city.

However he said that the "pressures and limitations" surrounding the building and its potential development have brought it to the point where Motion will close in July 2025.

"The building’s owner understandably wants to maximize the asset’s value, which may involve future development or a potential sale," Mr Deeks said. "On the other hand, the council recognises Motion’s cultural importance and insists that any changes align with preserving this use."

Mr Deeks described the closure as "deeply sad", adding: "This impending lease expiration brings significant uncertainty and concern -not just for us as Motion’s operators, but for everyone connected to the venue, including our dedicated staff, the artists who call this place home, and the wider Bristol community that has supported us through thick and thin."

"Spaces like Motion are irreplaceable; they are essential," he added.

In a statement, the owners said: "The current lease for 74-78 Avon Street ends in July 2025 and the longstanding owners of the site, who are not professional landlords or developers, can confirm their intention to sell.

"This is their only commercial property asset, and they have decided that the time is right for them to sell, as the existing lease expires.

"The property owners have been liaising with Motion Events Ltd on future plans for the site since 2019 and the club owners have been given the opportunity to put an offer forward for the building, along with other interested parties.

"There have been some reports that a bid from Motion Events Ltd has been refused. Motion Events Ltd has in the past expressed an interest but, despite a number of requests over an 18-month period, have not provided a funding plan to support its viability. This remains the case today. As the owners have stated before, they would welcome a viable bid from Motion Events.

"While we understand that Motion Events may have entered into a pre-application process with Bristol City Council, this is only relevant to their own business plans and is not relevant to the site and it’s separate development potential.

"It has also been reported that Motion Events Ltd could only purchase the property if it was ‘not used as a going concern’. This has not been discussed with the vendors at any point."