Popular Bristol club Motion may close next summer due to expiring lease

Bristol’s beloved nightclub, Motion, has announced it may be closing its doors in July 2025 due to the property’s lease expiration.

Announced in an email today sent to its mailing list subscribers and a statement released on its website, Motion revealed with a “heavy heart” that the lease on the club’s property has an “impending expiration.”

Despite its “heartfelt request” for an extension on the lease and an opportunity to purchase the property, Motion explained that the current owners have refused, leaving them facing “immense uncertainty.”

As well as creating an “uncertain future”, the end of its lease also “brings the prospect of the building being sold or repurposed, which could mean the loss of a venue that has been a pillar of the local and national nightlife scene for years.”

An Instagram caption read: “Sale or redevelopment could spell the end of an era, transforming a vibrant cultural space into something unrecognizable and disconnected from the music and arts community it has served.”

Opening in 2006, Motion has successfully established itself within Bristol’s nightlife scene.

The 4,000 capacity club is a firm favourite amongst students and partygoers alike, even gaining DJ Mag’s vote as being the 11th best club in the world and the UK’s best large nightclub.

Within their statement, Motion reflected on the impact it has made within the Bristol music and nightlife scene over the past 18 years.

“Motion has not just been a venue; it has been a cornerstone of our community, a sanctuary where people gather to celebrate music, art and the vibrant spirit that defines Bristol.”

The announcement, written by the club’s managing director, Daniel Deeks, goes on to reveal that the 18,000 square feet property area, is now up for sale.

Most Read

Exposed: The six MAFS UK 2024 cast members who already have new partners since the show

Another MAFS UK 2024 groom has posted a new girlfriend since the show and I can’t keep up

The Love Is Blind cast members who have turned to OnlyFans after failing in the pods

“We now find ourselves in a challenging position as the property is up for sale. While we are devoted to preserving this cherished space, the owners have expressed their intention to sell to local developers.”

Daniel disclosed that despite being up for sale, “no planning permission has been granted for any future development, highlighting that the true value of Motion lies not just in bricks and mortar, but in the community we’ve built together.”

In light of this news, Motion has received “unwavering support” from Bristol City Council, who have recognised the club as a “vital cultural hub” for the city.

According to Daniel, the City Council has been “committed to retaining Motion”, which he believes “reflects the sentiment of so many who consider this venue a second home.”

The Bristol City Council released a statement that “the acceptability or otherwise of the additional height will be closely linked to the actual uses that would be delivered – and the ongoing use of Motion as a cultural space, alongside the public benefits that are linked with this, is supported.”

The council further said that Motion has “national prominence and is an economic asset to the city.”

Motion’s closure follows in the footsteps of Gravity, who shut its doors back in April, due to “economic strains”.

Between December 2023 and June 2024, 65 nightclubs have been shut down across the UK, according to the Night Time Industries Association.

Daniel explained that there are “several potential pathways forward”, including a new lease agreement which would need to include terms that “allow us to continue operating sustainably” or selling the property to a new owner who is willing to uphold the property as a “cultural venue”.

The statement concludes with the importance of community, and that their supporters’ voices “resonate powerfully” and possess the power to “advocate for a future in which Motion continues to thrive and enrich Bristol’s cultural landscape.”

Motion will continue to host events until July, which can be found here.

The future of the club beyond July 2025 remains uncertain.