Bristol’s iconic Motion nightclub says it’s “increasingly likely” it will have to close, but has “big news coming soon”Motion, a nightclub in Bristol, says it is “increasingly likely” it will have to leave its premises this summer.
Despite the potential closure, the club says it is continuing to work towards a future where motion, and other spaces like it, can thrive. It also says it has “big news coming soon”.  The update follows a statement from Motion made in November, in which the club revealed it had been turned down for a lease extension. The lease is due to expire in July 2025, almost 20 years after the club first opened its doors in 2006.

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Now, Motion says it has “put forward a strong, carefully thought-out bid to the landlords of the Motion site, one that not only offers a significant sum of money but also lays out a solid planning case for why the venue must remain”.
It adds, “Since we announced that our lease was ending, the support has been overwhelming. From the people who’ve raved here to the artists and promoters who’ve built their careers on our dancefloors, to local voices who understand what Motion means to Bristol; this place matters. But despite all our efforts, it’s becoming increasingly likely that we’ll have to leave the venue in July.”
Despite this, Motion is continuing to fight for “the strongest possible future”. “We don’t have a billionaire owner or a corporate backer bankrolling us – but we have something far more powerful: you. The artists, the promoters, the community, and every single person who has stepped through Motion’s doors over the past 20 years. You are the reason this venue is still alive, and together, we’ll make sure it stays that way.
“We’ve secured significant financial backing and have the support of local bodies that recognise Motion’s value, including efforts to have the venue registered as an Asset of Community Value. That’s an important step, but let’s be real – it shouldn’t have to come to this,” its statement reads.
“If Motion goes, Bristol loses more than just a venue. It loses a part of its soul… Watching spaces like this disappear, knowing more could have been done to protect them, is gutting. It’s happening in every major city, and it’s happening here. We’re fighting it with everything we’ve got, but we need the powers that be to step up too.”

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Motion is one of many clubs in the UK struggling to stay afloat. A recent report from the NTIA revealed that the economic contribution from nightclubs in 2024 was down 16 percent from £1,463 million in 2023 to £1,232 million, and that the number of nightclubs in the UK now sits at 851, a decrease from 875.
Find out more about Motion, or read its full statements on the lease expiration.
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