Nightclub goes from Covid gamble to top UK venue

4 hours ago

Jonathan MorrisSouth West

News image — The Depo in Union Street, Plymouth, has pulled in major names including Mike Skinner, Becky Hill, Pete Tong and Andy C

A nightclub has gone from a Covid gamble to winning the UK's best grassroots music venue in a BBC Radio One public vote.

The Depo, on Plymouth's Union Street, began life as a student‑run party brand, but has now beat long‑established venues in Leeds, Glasgow and Bristol.

"We were just pleased to be nominated," co-owner Ryan Platts told BBC Radio Devon. "I didn't think we really had a bit of a chance of winning against the bigger cities."

His business partner Ben Gill-Carey said the support proved how much the venue meant to local people. "Everybody's rallied behind the independent," he said. "It just shows the true community spirit."

The Depo The image shows a promotional graphic announcing a major award win for a music venue. At the centre, a group of five people stand together in front of a lit backdrop, holding a trophy. Text at the top reads “BBC” and “RADIO 1 DANCE AWARDS 2026”, with a large “WINNER” headline above the group photo. Beneath the image, more text states “GRASSROOTS VENUE OF THE YEAR” and “THE DEPØ PLYMOUTH”. The left and right edges of the graphic feature an image of an audience at a live music event. — The Depo is grassroots music venue of the year in a BBC Radio One public vote

The Depo opened after years spent building a house and techno brand called Casa in a small student bar on the city's North Hill.

During the Covid-19 outbreak in 2021 the pair took on the Union Street building in what many saw as a risky move.

"Arguably I'd say, yeah, it was mad," said Platts. "But at the time, it didn't seem mad. It felt like the right thing to do."

They opened on 19 July, dubbed freedom day to mark the end of England's lockdown rules, and "haven't looked back since".

The venue, which pulled in major names including Mike Skinner, Becky Hill, Pete Tong and Andy C, now runs everything from rock gigs and tribute nights to underground electronic events and jazz shows.

The 750-capacity venue now includes Depo Studios, a recording and rehearsal hub for new artists and a second room, the rooftop Level 33.

The Depo's upcoming schedule includes Lilly Palmer, Gareth Gates and DJ Yoda and it has also shifted to earlier openings and daytime parties.

Platts said he wants to move nightlife away from being "looked at as sort of a problematic sector" and towards being seen as a positive social space, especially for a generation "on screens".