Martin Page, co-owner of Motion: 'I suppose nothing stays the same forever, does it?’
Posted on: 26 Sep 2019If there’s one club most people have heard of when it comes to Bristol nightlife, it’s Motion.
Sat in a sparse industrial estate, the 4,000-capacity monster club has thrived on Avon Street for the past decade. In what has become an incomparable destination for electronic music’s biggest names, the club was recently voted 11th in DJ Mag’s Top 100 international nightclubs.
But last month, things started to shift. In a series of Facebook posts, the club’s co-owner Dan Deeks revealed that Motion’s future is now “uncertain” after nearby industrial land was acquired with the view to build residential properties.
A situation familiar to Bristol, this same uncertainty has also been felt by venues like The Fleece and Thekla, in recent years. The issue? Potential noise complaints from new residents. With over 100 employees, Motion’s loud, late-night itinerary can’t afford to face disruption, never mind closure.
“This whole thing - it puts food on our tables”, explains Motion’s co-owner, Martin Page. “The number of employees we have – they have mortgages, they’ve got kids. I’ve got kids. Dan’s got kids! It’s a lot of responsibility. So, we’re striving to fight for it.”
To secure Motion’s future, the club has launched a petition calling for the council to back a ‘Deed of Easement’ as an alternative to the ‘Agent of Change’ bill – which urges developers to mitigate risks to existing properties before receiving planning permission. A more “robust” legal mechanism than the Agent of Change, the club believes that a Deed of Easement is the only way to secure sufficient protection.
“The Agent of Change - it doesn’t have the history of actually working to its full effect,” explains Martin. “I understand what a Deed of Easement can do, and I think it’s the way forward.”
Martin Page, co-owner and director of Motion.
Originally from Birmingham, Martin helped to run Digbeth’s Custard Factory, before moving to Malaysia. After a call from Tom Paine, the club’s former manager, he joined the Motion team seven years ago. Now a director and co-owner, Martin helped to launch the club’s sister-venue, the Marble Factory. He’s also responsible for day-to-day licensing, safety and external relations.
More recently, Martin explains that they have spent time working “closely” with councillor Nicola Beech and the Mayor regarding the proposed developments: “We’ve built a good relationship over the last five weeks.”
“We’re recognised as a cultural hub for Bristol, and an important aspect in the music scene. With some of the clubs like Lakota falling by the wayside, it’s a little bit tricky out there for nightlife – for the more underground venues, anyway.”
I agree. Motion is a cultural hub for Bristol. The club’s flagship autumn series, in:Motion, is just one example. But before the petition’s launch, the very same series was the first thing to take a hit. With an uncertain future ahead, the club announced that 2019 would see the final chapter of in:Motion, causing a wave of concern on social media.
“As a brand, we decided just to sort of park it up until we are sure that we have a future. Motion itself is a year-round experience, so that’s what we’re pushing it out to be,” explains Martin. “We’ve still got to be mindful that, you know, we may have 12 months, we may have three years. Everything is so up in the air.”
Despite a slight rebrand and insecure future, it seems the love for Motion is stronger than ever: the petition has already received over 7,000 signatures; and artists including Skepsis, JAKES and Finlay Shakespeare have expressed their support on Twitter.
But it’s no secret that Bristol property is a hot commodity. And Motion – with its sought-after location and lack of neighbours – seems like a no-brainer for developers. So, did Motion expect this to happen? Martin isn’t under any illusions.
The yet-to-be-approved development is planned for a site on Silverthorne Lane, an area nearby the club.
“I suppose nothing stays the same forever, does it? We’ve been here for over ten years, and there’s a lot of space down here. I think, the council - they are under pressure to build more homes,” Martin continues. “Nothing stays the same forever, so we just have to continue to adapt and keep pushing on.”
If anything, then, Martin seems excited for the area to develop – so long as Motion can continue to provide a safe and enjoyable party. He mentions Boomtown’s new club, Area 404, which is due to open in St Philips:
“It’s competition: those guys know what they’re doing. They’re really good at what they do, but you know - so are we! I think it’s a case of “the more the merrier”, really. If anything, I think it’ll make everyone pull their socks up a bit.”
And Motion is doing just that: looking forward, Martin says he’s looking forward to next year’s programming at the Marble Factory, as well as their plans to open a new events space on Pennywell Road below the team's existing offices and studio space. But the new plans have caused concern in Easton, with residents fearing the venue will be similar to Motion.
“It’s not another Motion – that’s the important thing,” says Martin.
“I’ll hold my hands up - it’s probably because we didn’t do as much public consultation as we should have done and we’re going to address that in the next two or three weeks.”
With a closing time of 11 pm, Pennywell would be “completely different” to Motion. A space to house live music, exhibitions, markets, trade shows and corporate events, Martin adds that he is “really excited” for what could be achieved with the project, “especially with the local community.”
Pennywell Studios hosted its first Craft Fair earlier this month.
But before they can focus on Pennywell, the Motion team will continue to fight for the Avon Street club. Currently, they’re planning fundraisers to aid legal fees.
“We’re independent; we’re self-funded. There's not many of us independents left. You’ve got Love Saves The Day, Tokyo World, obviously, and now Boomtown, and they’re going to find it as tough as we are. But there’s a real pride in being independent.”
To support Motion, sign the petition.
