Fireworks Factory at Woolwich Works

Fifteen hundred square metres of flat floor space inside a former Royal Arsenal building, with exposed brick walls, a dramatic asymmetric glass roof, and a bronze corrugated feature wall that catches light differently throughout the day. The Fireworks Factory at Woolwich Works is one of London’s largest single event spaces — 1,800 standing, 884 cabaret, 550 banqueting — housed within an RIBA award-winning restoration that opened in 2021.

The Fireworks Factory’s Architecture and Character

Originally Building 41A, a carpenters’ workshop built in 1877–78, the space spent decades as a customs store and later housed the Firepower: Royal Artillery Museum before the 2019–21 renovation. The restoration kept what matters — exposed brick, painted concrete floor, the period glazed façade running along the south side, and the saw-tooth roof structure — while adding modern factory lighting, a comprehensive audio system, and the infrastructure needed for large-scale events. The result is a venue with genuine industrial heritage rather than an aesthetic applied to a shell. The proportions are extraordinary: open, tall, and flooded with natural light through the asymmetric glass roof. Time Out named Woolwich Works London’s best new culture spot, and the Fireworks Factory is the building that anchors the complex.

Production Infrastructure at the Fireworks Factory

This is a venue built for serious production. A dedicated control room, loading dock, and abundance of power throughout the space handle complex events without the temporary infrastructure that blank canvas venues typically require. Lighting bars and facilities panels are installed. The in-house specification includes a PA system with two microphones, a bespoke lighting system, and a comprehensive audio system. Steel deck staging and a portable technical control tower are available. Partial roof blackout capability allows lighting designers to work with or against the natural light. The room’s acoustics are a standout feature — an exceptional natural room acoustic supplemented by portable and adjustable acoustic baffle boards. For live music, concerts, and performance events, this matters. It’s equally valuable for conferences, where speech intelligibility across a 1,500 sqm space depends on the room rather than just the speakers. Full day hire runs from 08:00 to 23:00 and includes an Event Manager, Duty Manager, Technician for in-house equipment, and fire marshalling. The venue works with five handpicked approved caterers — Clement Worrall, KERB, Palette, Social Pantry, and The Clink Events — though external caterers and AV suppliers are also permitted with an admin fee.

Events at the Fireworks Factory

The capacity and flexibility mean almost anything works at scale. Award ceremonies and gala dinners use the 884-seat cabaret layout and the heritage backdrop. Conferences for up to 1,000 delegates use theatre-style seating with the control room running AV. Product launches can bring vehicles in through the loading dock — car access from behind the stage is a specific selling point. Exhibitions lay out across the full floor. Large weddings for up to 550 banqueting take advantage of the combined indoor-outdoor setup with the courtyard. The Fireworks Factory has hosted international tech conferences, video gaming events, runway shows, and the Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair. Complete layout flexibility on the long axis, short axis, or in the round means the space adapts to the event rather than the other way around.

Connecting Woolwich Works’ Spaces

The Workers’ Bar runs parallel to the Fireworks Factory — a vast glass-walled space overlooking Workers’ Yard courtyard. Large doors open the factory floor directly into the courtyard, creating a combined indoor-outdoor space for events that want both. Knight Gallery offers 130-capacity breakout space with exposed brick and character. Beanfeast, with Thames views, handles 170 theatre-style or 100 for dining. Combining spaces across the complex creates a multi-venue programme within a single site.

Getting to the Fireworks Factory

The Elizabeth line has transformed access to Woolwich. Woolwich Arsenal station is a five-minute walk, the DLR connects through Woolwich Arsenal, the Thames Clipper stops at the pier nearby, and London City Airport is minutes away. For events bringing in heavy production or exhibition builds, the loading dock handles logistics that would be impossible at heritage venues without purpose-built access. The SE18 postcode is no longer the barrier it once was — the Elizabeth line puts the Fireworks Factory within 15 minutes of central London.