Coronet To Close In 2017

The Coronet is set to close in January 2017. The Elephant & Castle based venue has thrown in the towel after 138 years of existence, having first opened it's doors as the Elephant & Castle Theatre in 1879. Recent years have seen the venue become a dance music staple with a number of familiar rave brands – Moondance, Garage Nation, etc – hosting regular parties over the multi floor building. 

The exact reasons for the venues closure are unclear, but the most likely suspect is our old mate regeneration. The club released the following statement;

“We have been here for so long, and we will be really sad to go, but with the Elephant & Castle changing so much, so quickly, it’s become clear that the evolving character of the area is no longer right for a venue like ours.

“We’ve worked with our landlord to extend our lease for one final year, until 5th January 2017.  We’re looking forward to welcoming back old friends and making new ones – if you’ve ever wanted to perform here then get in touch quick – the calendar is filling up fast.

“Rather than fighting against change, we want to focus on celebrating The Coronet’s incredible history.  What better way to do that than by making The Coronet’s final year of operation its biggest and best!”

Previously the venue had been running a 'Save the Coronet' campaign, which had something quite different to say – 

"We recognise the Elephant & Castle is undergoing significant and exciting regeneration, and we warmly welcome this investment in the area’s future. However, regeneration shouldn’t come at the expense of Elephant & Castle’s diverse cultural mix, and we need a clear and firm commitment from Southwark Council and Delancey that the Coronet has a future in the Elephant."

"We are a huge asset to the community. The Coronet provides full and part-time employment to over 100 people, attracts more than 250,000 visitors every year, and brings huge amounts of revenue into the local area. The theatre provides a creative and unique arts space for all kinds of events, and is an integral part of Elephant & Castle’s identity."

"We have been a part of the local area since the Elephant & Castle Theatre first opened on our current site in 1872. The Elephant & Castle of today is undergoing exciting regeneration, but this should not come at the cost of the area’s diverse cultural mix."

Looks like Southwark council begged to differ. Hey ho.