The White Hotel, a 300-capacity nightclub on Dickinson Street in Salford, will close permanently after nine years, but the building is set to continue its role in the local music scene under new ownership.
The venue, which was previously a car repair garage, will be taken over by music media duo Franceska Melia and Will Maull, who plan to open a new venture called 'BASTION' at the site. The pair currently run Bag Factory, a 60-capacity community music venue on the same street, and say they have secured an agreement with the building owners to take over the space.
New arts and music venue planned
After extensive renovations, the new gig space is expected to open in summer 2027. Maull told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that BASTION will be more than a music venue.
“This will be more than a music venue. It’s going to be an arts venue too, so you might attend a photography exhibition in the morning, a workshop in the afternoon, see a band in the evening, followed by a clubnight, and we’ll have all sorts of music,” he said.
Commitment to independence
Maull said he wanted to help maintain Manchester’s reputation for independent venues, a legacy that places such as White Hotel have helped build, and to counter what he describes as an influx of 'corporate venues' owned by big businesses.
“It’s really important for us that the space remains independent. We absolutely love what the White Hotel has done and even though we will be doing something completely different, we’re really grateful that the space is going to remain a space that’s really art for arts sake,” Maull added.
Wider venue closures
White Hotel is among several independent venues to announce closures over the past year. The Music Venue Trust found that grassroots music venues in 175 towns and cities had shut in 2025, and the sector remained 'structurally fragile' as most businesses were not making a profit.
