DHP Family to open major East London food and music venue: Music venue operator and promoter DHP Family is to launch its first London venue, Oslo, at a 7,000 square feet site next to Hackney Central train station – a new 15 year lease has been granted by Network Rail. In addition to its all-day restaurant and café offer, Oslo will be home to a new music-led venue – DHP Family also operates Nottingham’s Rock City and Bristol’s Thekla. Oslo is due to open this autumn with a 3am licence. This is the first London venue from DHP, which also runs the 20,000-capacity ‘Splendour’ festival in Nottingham, as well as Dot to Dot in Nottingham, Manchester and Bristol and ‘Gathering’ in venues across Oxford. Alex Hill, associate director at Colliers International, who oversaw the acquisition, said: “Hackney and East London are one of London’s fastest growing leisure hubs and this venue’s location in the dynamic and burgeoning area of Hackney Central will appeal to the strong cultural identity of this part of London. This acquisition represents a fantastic opportunity for DHP as their first London venue. It will cater for both daytime and night time trade, maximising the opportunity to provide an exciting new destination for all aspects of the local and wider communities in Hackney Central and East London.” DHP Family was awarded National Promoter of the Year at the Live Music Business Awards 2012 and was nominated for a Music Week Award in April. It also recently reported that turnover had grown by more than 66% since 2009 to £15m in 2012. As a promoter, it currently puts on more than 1,200 gigs per year and has promoted tours by Lana Del Rey, Ed Sheeran, New Order, Flaming Lips and many more. George Akins, managing director at DHP Family, said: “It’s great to be making an impact in East London. Following on from the opening of our London Fields office last year, it’s really exciting to be bringing the Oslo venture to Hackney Central. And, of course, it’s pleasing to reflect a bit of my Norwegian roots in the Oslo name.”