London's KOKO venue is set to reopen in 2022

The much-loved London music venue KOKO is set to officially reopen in spring 2022.

The venue, which is located on 1A Camden High Street in north London, initially shut in 2019 for a planned £70million refurbishment.

It had been hoped that KOKO would only be closed for a year, but their plans suffered some major setbacks. In January 2020, there were fears for the future of KOKO after a fire broke out at the venue, while the coronavirus pandemic and “colossal water damage” also held up progress.

KOKO is now set to be relaunched in spring 2022 as a “state-of-the-art live music venue spanning 50,000 square feet, with ambitions to deliver an unrivalled experience for live music fans,” according to a press release.

The new venture is being launched in partnership with SISTER, a global content company behind productions like Chernobyl and the forthcoming This Is Going to Hurt.

Among the new features of the restored KOKO are its high-spec broadcasting, recording and livestreaming capabilities, as well as a four-storey extension which houses the newly formed KOKO Studio.

A new shop (featuring artist collaborations), late-night pizzeria and tap bar will also be in operation, as will a soon-to-be-launched radio station and an immersive new ‘Fly Tower’ performance space and gallery – a surprise discovery during the three-year development process.

“Having worked closely with English Heritage to unlock this new space, artists will have the opportunity to perform in the round on a 360 stage or in a more intimate setting, giving music fans a truly unique experience of what the theatre would have been like in early 1900s,” the press release further explains.

More information on KOKO, including launch season line-ups and details on a KOKO membership scheme, will be announced soon.

“After three long and epic years of construction and restoration, I’m excited to announce that we will be returning KOKO to the musicians, artists and fans next spring with a beautifully restored theatre and live music offering that will hopefully be a truly unique and unparalleled experience for everyone coming through the doors,” CEO and founder Olly Bengough said in a statement.

“We are as committed as ever to protect our 120 year cultural legacy and to support the next generation of musicians and London’s dynamic and ever growing music scene. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to KOKO in Spring 2022.”

Elsewhere in London, Amazing Grace, a brand new music venue in London Bridge, opened its doors last week.