One of East London´s finest live music venues, Jamboree will close at the end of March just before its 10 year aniversary. 

Jamboree has been a second home to many of the musicians in the London folk scene and its lose will be sorely felt. The venue has always put music and musicians above its commercial interests and as a result has always had something of a rocky ride. A few months ago they ran a crowdfunding campaign, in which many musicians donated performances for free, to help fight off a huge claim and fine for backdated VAT payments. Now the landlord, who we understand intends to develop the whole of the Cable Street Studios, has refused to renew Jamboree´s lease. 

Sad times indeed. 

Here is a statement from Rena and the team at Jamboree

We are sad to inform you that our landlord won´t extend our lease for Jamboree at the end of March. This is due to a planning application which will be submitted over the next few months to redevelop the whole site. We have not been told the reason why we need to leave. We can only suspect that we are a threat to the landlord, and that having Jamboree under contract when the planning application is submitted will mean that the landlord will need to provide information to the planning department to explain what is being offered to the existing tenants on eviction, and if they will make any efforts in rehousing existing tenants. Instead of empathy for other businesses, and instead of doing what is right, they have decided to get rid of us.

Unfortunately this comes down to money - and of course greed has over-taken propriety. We have asked for 4 more months to be able to plan a relocation, and to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Jamboree in July, to round it all up in our current location, and the landlords have refused. Having received just 6 weeks notice we have been put in a very difficult situation which could well mean the end of Jamboree. Our big hope now is the Night Czar´s help.

We want to say a massive thank you to all the beautiful supporters of Jamboree. We also ask everyone at this time to join our mailing list and encourage all of your friends who have supported the venue to do the same. The likelihood is that our Limehouse home will be no more from the end of March. If this is the case, rather than social media, our newsletter will be the only way we can inform our followers of our future hopes, events and resistance. You can sign up for it in the box on the top right hand side of the website here www.jamboreevenue.co.uk

See whats on in the last days of Jamboree here...Jamboree Gigs

Pictures by Eleonore de Bonneval