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Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

1 vote
? by Mike Diver
Words: Mike Diver
Posted: 21 Jul '04, 12:56
The Astoria in central London may have to close following the government's approval of a new public transport network, Crossrail, in the capital.

The £10bn rail project will provide a link from Heathrow and Kingston to East London and beyond, and is considered an essential part of the city's bid for the 2012 Olympic Games. However, a new station will be required between Oxford Street and Tottenham Court Road, and insiders (who are these people, really, and what are they inside of?) say that this will mean that The Astoria will have to be demolished.

The 2,000-capacity venue is part of the Mean Fiddler empire. A spokesman for the group told the BBC that Mean Fiddler had been in talks with Crossrail, and that they hoped The Astoria would not be affected. Fingers crossed, I suppose.

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Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

Errrr there's been talk of this for years.
-arn- | 21 Jul '04, 12:59 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

Indeed there has.
But now it looks more likely cos the powers that be have given the go ahead to this Crossrail thingy.
Didn't the council try to close it a few months back too? Or am I confused?
M
Mike_Diver | 21 Jul '04, 13:08 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

Yeah, it was refused a licence in 2002 after someone was shot on the street outside after a So Solid Crew gig I think rather than anything to do with safety inside the venue or anything like that.
________ | 21 Jul '04, 13:31 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

why would anyone want to go to east london anyway?
mr_D | 21 Jul '04, 18:40 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

That's where the Olympic Stadium is going to be.
Providing we win the bid.
That said, this Crossrail thing won't definately be ready in time for 2012.
Mike_Diver | 22 Jul '04, 09:53 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

> why would anyone want to go to east london anyway?

East London is the shit. I haven't been stabbed or shot once. Don't knock it til you've tried it.

And yeah, the Astoria is a shitty venue. If they knock it down, bands might be forced to play somewhere good.
chiaroscuro | 22 Jul '04, 17:55 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

I agree with Chia... him. East London has some really nice bits - I live just south of the river and it's gorgeous. Other than a few townies making the place look untidy that is.
dale | 26 Jul '04, 18:07 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

who are the "insiders" indeed!!!
who the fuck are they and how dare they!!!
closing the Astoria would be a crime.
if they try, anyone fancy chaining themselves to it when they try to pull it down?
just a thought.
Killers | 21 Jul '04, 13:10 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

Closing the Astoria is just daft. It's obvious that music isn't never high on the governemnts agenda, but its an industry, and Britain's not bad at it.
Infact it's our best export, or only.....
STUMBELEINE01 | 21 Jul '04, 14:39 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

Now come come, if it stands in the way of this magnificent rail project then knock it doon. Mean Fiddler could build a 21st century venue in a shopping mall to replace it, along the lines of the Islington Academy. Beautiful
Novosibirsk | 21 Jul '04, 15:46 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

I'd would happily chain myself to the Astoria. damn goverment, close the astoria, they know nothing. Music should be at the top of their agenda, the goverment always take away the good stuff.
trainsandplanes | 21 Jul '04, 15:48 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

The Astoria's a rubbish venue anyway. I've never seen a good gig there, ever! Knock it down anyway I say!
gigmeister | 21 Jul '04, 16:16 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

I would have agreed with you up til the Wilco gig last week, but it was truly amazing.
Raanraals | 21 Jul '04, 16:17 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

It would probably have been just as good performed on the street outside!
gigmeister | 21 Jul '04, 16:20 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

Wilco gig? Bugger. I knew there was something else I had to go to last week...
shadyadie | 21 Jul '04, 16:28 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

I would have agreed with you up to every gig I've ever been to at the Astoria.
ma0sm | 21 Jul '04, 16:22 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

It's a lousy venue, but better than the Hammersmith Appollo or the Islington Academy, which as someone said, is the sort of thing that will replace it if it's bulldozed.
tommymack | 21 Jul '04, 16:30 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

I have no problems with the Asotira - it's a piece o' piss to get to (always important when weighing up which gigs to go to), plus it does get good bands in. Without the Astoria I'd never have seen Mudhoney. Nuff said.
Mike_Diver | 21 Jul '04, 16:35 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

I've never been to the Astoria not being one of these London types (:p) but there's no way the closure of the place should be allowed... there's a heritage attached to the place and my friends always talk of arranging a trip to London to see a band at the Astoria...

Would I really be arsed to travel half way across the country to go to the Islington Academy or the likey when I could just go to Nottingham, Birmingham, Stoke, Leicester etc...?
Stemmy | 21 Jul '04, 18:52 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

Much as I like a music venue,
I'd rather have a railway....it's not like London's short of music venues. Was searching seetickets for gigs near me (oop norf-ish) recently, and of about twenty bands who appealed to me, only two were playing any gigs outside London.
whingewhingewhinge
brusma | 21 Jul '04, 18:53 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

Isn't there already a tube service from Heathrow though? I can understand why they'd want to put direct lines to places for the Olympics bid but is it really so important that they'd have to demolish a key music venue?
Stemmy | 21 Jul '04, 18:58 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

of course it's more important than a 'key' music venue. (For key, read 'shit old theatre in dire need of modernisation')

There is a tube from Heathrow, it is full, and they need more. Plus, a cross-London rail network is a must, the underground is well over-subscribed, i reckon. Although I'd have though North-South would have been more important than West-East. Shows what i know.

timothyspanner | 21 Jul '04, 19:04 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

There already is a north-south line - Thameslink. Runs from Brighton to Bedford/Watford.
crosbysleftear | 22 Jul '04, 20:16 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

i'm a twat, then.

does it run through central london?
timothyspanner | 22 Jul '04, 20:19 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

why would anyone want to go to east london anyway?, said Mr_D.

Exactly the problem with connecting Essex and Kent to London is that all the pikies there get more routes to get in!

London, like it or not is the centre of music in England and indeed Britain. If The Astoria can make a profit (which it presumably does) it should not be destroyed forcibly.
CaviarAndCigarets | 21 Jul '04, 19:51 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

Essex and Kent don't have roads or trains or anything to connect us to London. We have tractors and carts. One day we might learn how to use them.
And of course, everyone here is big, BIG pikey. Personally, I've already mugged three pensioners today and used the money to buy a nice burberry tracksuit.

I hate this shitty county as much as you seem to, but why does your opinion mean we shouldn't be allowed into 'the center of music in England'?
I used to live in London. It's not great, y'know.
candystripelegs | 29 Jul '04, 17:52 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

the astoria is a shit venue, sod all the "history" surrounding it, the sound and venue are crap
jontosh2001 | 21 Jul '04, 20:42 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

eh? isn't it RIGHT NEXT TO another train station? Knock down Debenhams or sommat!
imminent | 21 Jul '04, 21:59 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

it's actually going to go to Shenfield which is posher than Brentwood.
the_low_edges | 22 Jul '04, 10:04 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

Vince Power will probably use his 'powers of persuasion' (read alleged back handers) to get this sorted. Either that or he'll get a fucking big pay off.
GreenMindPromotions | 22 Jul '04, 16:38 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

I don't really understand this, since the Astoria's directly over Tottenham Court road station, not half way between there and Oxford Circus.

I'd be sad if it was knocked down as I like it - I saw my first ever gig there (Manics) and my best ever gig there (Mogwai).
mixedcasesspaces | 23 Jul '04, 10:10 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

Four things:

!. Are they still also talking about demolishing Camden's electric ballroom to make the station there better? I heard a lot about that last year but nothing since. The Astoria is cool. Destory the Camden underworld instead. There would be no architectural advantage, but that place is bad.

2. Olympics? In London? That it the stupidest idea ever. Unless they hold it in that millenium dome. Which is still stupid but less wasteful. Why not do it in the North where they need more jobs?

3. Pikeys are not Essex/Kent natives, they are Irish travellers, one step down from tinkers who are also cool. Although we do have plenty of them here in the summer, they don't stay. Who would?

4. If they stopped destroying music venues in Essex we wouldn't pay £10 on top of every single ticket price to come to London at all. Not that it isn't a good place, but it's like taxing us for our parents being stupid.
Kerosene | 26 Jul '04, 10:58 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

1) They are still planning to extend Camden tube station, but I have no idea what effect it'll have on the Electric Ballroom. The plans I saw were purely aesthetic - improved foyer etc - nothing underground as such. So it should be okay. Demolishing the Underworld would suck - there are few venues of its size in London and it's a valuable venue to many a touring, small-to-mid sized band.

2) They held the Commonwealths in Manchester, so I don't think they're looking to the North again. Plus London is the one city that everyone knows worldwide; stop your average American in the street and ask him where Leeds is and he'll tell you its a suburb near Kentish Town. Maybe.

3) I have no idea what this is about.

4) Local venues only survive if the punters want them to. It's the if you book them, they will come thing, isn't it? Get enough people to continually attend shows and there shouldn't be a problem. I guess your average Joe about town in Essex just doesn't give a monkeys. Said average Joe is also prepared to spend extra when the big boys arrive in London.
Mike_Diver | 26 Jul '04, 11:37 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Re: Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

You're right, but Essex doesn't really have one major centre, so it's problematic getting that kind of momentum up. Plus it's a fucking grim place to live (I should know, I live there).
enfilade | 27 Jul '04, 19:21 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

Crossrail is planned to demolish OTHER venues as well including those at Highbury Corner ( The Garage ) etc. because it cuts through there as well.

Tottenham CT Road Station is being expanded as is Highbury - this is all part of Labour's plan to destroy music because musicians might be against Tony Blair ! Clever one !
Gigger91 | 26 Jul '04, 12:13 | Send note | Report this | Reply

Crossrail threatens Astoria with closure

they're only venues

think about the -bigger- picture


and such like
Janeyferr | 26 Jul '04, 18:04 | Send note | Report this | Reply

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