Music fans and ravers were left heartbroken yesterday after the announcement that the iconic venue Visions will be closed with immediate effect.
In a statement posted online and to its social media channels, the basement club in Dalston wrote, “It is with a heavy heart that we must announce the immediate closure of the venue you know as Visions. We’ve had some of the best times with you all and we cannot thank you enough.”
Initially dubbed a video bar, the underground space grew in popularity during its 18-year lifespan and became a go-to spot to hear Bashment, Grime, Hip-Hop and Afrobeats; genres which are usually excluded from venues in London’s West-End.
Visions has seen performances and appearances from some of the UK’s biggest artists and notably was name-dropped by Chip in his track “Peri Peri Sauce” as a key location during the events of his lyrical warfare with Yungen. Be reminded of the track here.
The news of Visions’ closure comes after Hackney council’s new strict curfew regulations. Last month, members of Hackney council which covers the area of Dalston voted to impose a new curfew which means that venues must close at 11pm on weekdays and 12am on weekends; a clear barrier to Visions’ closing time of 4am.
Supporters of the curfew argued that the buzzing nightlife of areas like Dalston and Shoreditch negatively impacted residents. On the controversial curfew, Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney, said, “we’re trying to strike a balance between a growing night-time economy, the interests of the residents who live nearby and the impact on our increasingly stretched public services”.
With the closure of such an iconic venue and imminently more to come, it appears the balance of keeping nightlife alive and pleasing residents is more difficult than anticipated.
Distraught fans can look forward to upcoming events from the team behind the iconic venue. Visions said in a statement, “We will be announcing our new venture in the near future. However, we’ll be holding separate ‘Visions Presents’ events at other venues”.