Colour Factory

From Mick's workshop to the Queen's Yard warehouse

Before the dance floor lights, the Queen's Yard shed was the garage of a neighbor named Mick. In 2015, already as Mick's Garage, the space moved to the CRATE Brewery environment and functioned as a warehouse and venue in the heart of Hackney Wick. In 2020, Nathanael Williams—who had known the place by unloading barrels—took the venue in the middle of the pandemic, self-financed it, and converted it into Colour Factory. On April 16, 2021, the outdoor garden opened first; on June 21, the indoor rooms were inaugurated.

A black-owned club of weight in East London

Williams maintains that Colour Factory is the largest black-owned music venue in London. The venue presents itself as a nightclub, concert hall, food court, and multipurpose space, with an explicit editorial line: cultural diversity, LGTBIQ+ community, and black artists. In self-produced lineups, the director committed to always including at least one racialized person and gender balance. The programming moves jazz, techno, house, UKG, bass, and experimental pop, and gives visibility to women, non-binary, and queer artists. In 2022, the residents were Ahadadream, Danielle, Mechatok, and Shannen SP.

Factory, Mezz, and a rare garden in the neighborhood

The heart is The Factory, an open-plan warehouse of over 250 m², accessible and without steps, designed for both clubbing and concerts. Upstairs, The Mezz operates as a second room. Outside, The Garden—opened with a Martin Audio system—is a garden with a capacity of about 300, with artificial grass and decking. The venue is completed by the front terrace and The Yard. The indoor dance floors have Danley Sound Labs. There is a food court with several stalls, a cloakroom at most parties, a welfare room, gender-neutral toilets, and an accessible toilet with a RADAR key. There is no parking in Queen's Yard. The club does not impose a dress code and encourages expression; the last entry is strict according to the curfew, usually between 4:00 AM and 6:00 AM, and there is no re-entry.

From Monday jam sessions to the electronic weekend

During the week, the venue does not turn off: the Ori Jam on Mondays, a jazz jam, has gathered hundreds of people, with visits like Thundercat. The weekend concentrates the club nights; UKF, fabric, and Boiler Room have used the space, along with labels and brands that rent it. In 2026, upon turning five, the club scheduled a three-space party—Factory, Mezz, and Garden—and Williams is part of the London Nightlife Taskforce promoted by the Mayor of London.