Bristol boat venue Thekla to get £1 million overhaul this summer

Originally a merchant ship built in Germany, Bristol's iconic Thekla boat venue is due to be renovated this summer. The DHP family have secured Thekla's future for the next 50 years, after the venue faced the threat of closure from a new "affordable" housing development.

On 3 June the boat will be brought into Albion dry dock for some much-needed maintenance, including a steel offset hull welded to the current hull.

Thekla is approaching its 35th anniversary, and after a long #SaveThekla campaign, the venue is continuing to book new events for when it heads back into the Severn River estuary in Autumn.

George Akins, owner of Thekla and Managing Director of DHP Family said, "There’s a lot of love for Thekla in Bristol, around the country and worldwide. Both music fans and bands like Florence + the Machine, White Denim, Mumford & Sons, Ellie Goulding and many others who have played there over the years have taken part in some great nights. We’re committed to preserving that heritage and that’s why we’re getting the new hull fitted - we need to make sure that Thekla continues to be a great night out for the next fifty years."