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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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