East London venueTroxyhas announced it will increase its capacity to 3,600 as part of a major transformation project.
The Grade II-listedArt Decobuildingin Stepneyhas been in business in various forms since 1933, initially serving as a cinema. In 2006, it was converted into a space for live music and events, and now it is set to expand as part of a £1.5million redevelopment.
The project will see previously disused basement areas reopened to the public for the first time in decades as part of plans to improve audience flow and comfort, andoverallthe capacity will increase by 500 from its currentfigure of 3,100.
Among the most high-profile gigs at the venue in recent years wasThe Cure’s epic show there in November 2024. Dubbed ‘The Show Of A Lost World’,it isstill the band’s only major show since the release of their ’SongsOfALost World’ album.That gig was eventually released as a live album, andwas even streamed in cinemas last December.
The Troxy renovation has partly been funded through thevenue’srestoration ticket levy, which has seen funds from every ticket sold to certain events beingchannelleddirectly into the project.
Tom Sutton-Roberts,managingdirector atTroxy,hassaid:“This has been a major undertaking andwe’reproud to have reached this point. Every decision has been focused on improving the fan experience and making nights run more smoothly, while unlocking parts of the building that are vital to our future.We’reincredibly grateful for the support and patience from everyone who’s walked through our doors during this time.”
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Simon Eaton, head of live events at Troxy, added: “This increased capacity helps promoters who are currently selling out quickly to earn incremental revenue, which is vital to the industry which is trying to keep ticket prices accessible for fans. We already have lots of loyal acts who call Troxy home, so we’re hoping this will help us establish another wave of new promoters who are keen to bring special gigs to the East End. At Troxy we are proud to be a fan-first, accessible venue and these works and the investment just underpins our commitment to the future for live entertainment in the capital.”
The news comes at a time of crisis for music venues in the UK, especially at a grassroots level. The Music Venue Trust’s latest report showed that 30 venues had permanently closed between July 2024 and July 2025, with another 48 ceasing tooperateas gig spaces.
Of those that survive, an average profit margin of just 2.5 per cent saw a staggering 53.8 per cent ofgrassrootsvenues report no profit in the last 12 months, with a loss of over 6,000 jobs (19 per cent) across the year.