Ministry of Sound reveals break-in and illegal rave claim at London club was April Fools' stunt
The stunt was a collaboration with a pop-up event series with the mission statement of throwing parties "anywhere but a club"
UPDATE 01/04/2025: Ministry Of Sound has announced a recently alleged break-in and illegal rave at its London nightclub was a publicity stunt.
The venue released a statement on March 21, 11 days before April Fools' Day, claiming “significant damage’ had been caused and that “high-value equipment” was stolen, while footage appearing to show the break-in was uploaded to socials two days previously.
It has now been revealed the incident was staged as part of a marketing campaign with Lab54, a pop-up event series with the mission statement of throwing parties "anywhere but a club." Ministry of Sound will be teaming up with Lab54 to throw a party in the toilets of its nightclub on May 4.
Ministry Group's Managing Director Caitlin McAllister said in a statement: "There’s an irony in a pop-up ‘breaking in’ to a club but that’s exactly the point - we need to bring new ideas to our spaces."
Lab54 founder Joe Gordon said "what better way [for clubs to connect with DIY party communities] than going back to their roots and pranking the online rave community!”
Read the original story, published on Friday, March 21, below:
Ministry Of Sound has released a statement after a “serious” break-in at its London nightclub on Wednesday, March 19.
Multiple videos were posted online showing a large group of people streaming towards the venue and breaking in via its girls’ bathroom, throwing an illegal rave with people setting off confetti cannons and spray painting the mirrors, before ultimately being chased out of the club by security.
In the comments, one video uploader wrote: "there was like 100 people walking and shouting with bolt cutters and bally’s on", and that it took around "2 hours for the feds to show up and shut it down".
In a statement posted on Instagram, Ministry Of Sound said “significant damage’ had been caused, and that “high-value equipment” was stolen.
The club will open as normal tonight, with additional security measures put in place.
Read the full statement below.
Patrick Hinton is Mixmag's Editor & Digital Director, follow him on Twitter
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