Unfortunately, the rumours are true…The Factory Club (formerly known as Medicine Bar) at the Custard Factory is closing down….. The new decade heralds a different direction for the Custard Factory and that is the development of the site as a more of an office based environment. As a result, the dark underground club space set around the charismatic lake in the courtyard of the Custard Factory will be winding down as potential investors look at the space along the lines of restaurants/studios etc…

Lakeside Marquee events will still happen for one off special events but these will be fewer and far between…. but it’s not all bad news…. Music events will still take place in Space 2 (the Custard Factory Warehouse) which has had a new overhaul and the development of the railway arches….. This is an exciting prospect in itself and no doubt will be the location for many good times ahead! However, the days of the Factory Club space (The former Medicine Bar) and Kitchen being the regular host to your hedonistic night out are unfortunately numbered!

Not everyone’s happy about this. Those on the Drum & Bass Forum certainly aren’t. Elsewhere, decisive action has already been taken, not just with a Facebook group, but with a page too. Head there for more than your daily recommended limit of badly spelled expletives, CAPITAL LETTERS and exclamation marks!!1eleven!! Actually, the description of the Custard Factory’s residents as ‘suits’ made me chuckle.

I know there are plenty of long-suffering (rent paying) suits in the Custard Factory who’ll be jumping for joy at the news, no longer having to turn up to a building that smells of urine each Monday morning.

On the other hand, the city is going to have one less decent music venue – events staged at the Custard Factory pulled in thousands and did a lot to promote the good name of the city.

Check the Eclectricity Facebook group for details of who’ll be playing the Eclectricity End of an Era Weekender, 2-4 April.

(Nod to DiG who spotted this before me UPDATE – now also featuring incisive comments on the distinction between ‘Custard Factory’ and ‘Factory Club’ and the possible effect on visitor footfall)