The Spitz: much-loved East London music venue to be commemorated with blue plaque marking 30 years of music and community.
Monday, November 09, 2026
Spitz musicians to perform live at Old Spitalfields Market on Tuesday November 17th 2026 as the venue’s legacy is celebrated during the London Jazz Festival
We have received the following press release;
The Spitz: much-loved East London music venue to be commemorated with plaque marking 30 years of music and community
Spitz musicians to perform live at Old Spitalfields Market as the venue’s legacy is celebrated during the London Jazz Festival
A much-loved East London music venue that became a home for jazz, blues, folk and boundary-pushing live music will be celebrated with a commemorative blue plaque at Old Spitalfields Market at 5pm on Tuesday 17 November 2026, marking 30 years since it first opened its doors.
The Spitz Music Charity will unveil the plaque with an event that will bring musicians back to the place where they performed, while celebrating how the venue’s spirit of live musical discovery and community continues through the charity’s work today.
Taking place during the London Jazz Festival, the event offers an opportunity to remember a venue that became an important part of London’s live music scene and to recognise a legacy that extends well beyond its original home.
For more than a decade, The Spitz was one of London’s most distinctive independent music and arts venues. It welcomed emerging artists alongside established performers, built a devoted following among music lovers and helped make Spitalfields a destination for live music long after the surrounding market stalls had closed for the day.
Its stages hosted an eclectic mix of musicians, including Amy Winehouse, Adele, Sia, Beth Orton, Goldfrapp, Keane, Cat Power, Tony Allen, Courtney Pine, Soweto Kinch and Florence and the Machine. Artists often appeared before reaching wider recognition, with The Spitz providing a platform to experiment, develop their craft and connect with audiences.
Its audience was just as varied. Sitting between the City of London and the creative communities of the East End, The Spitz brought together market traders, artists, local residents, City workers and music fans. Among the famous faces reportedly spotted in the crowd were David Bowie, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, Chrissie Hynde, Brian Eno and Damon Albarn. It became a meeting place as much as a performance space, with a spirit of openness and discovery that its regulars remember fondly.
When The Spitz closed in September 2007 due to redevelopment of the market, the loss prompted an outpouring of public affection. Now, the commemorative plaque will give that shared history a permanent place in the landscape of Spitalfields, recognising the venue’s contribution to London’s cultural life and the musicians and communities that made it special.
The plaque reads: “The Spitz, 1996–2007. This building was home to the much-loved independent music and arts venue. Its legacy lives on through The Spitz Music Charity.”
The charity was established in the wake of the venue’s closure, carrying forward its belief in the power of live music to bring people together. Today, it works with professional musicians to bring live music into care homes, hospitals and community settings, using music to support health, wellbeing and human connection.
Several musicians who played at the original Spitz now form part of the charity’s core team, connecting the venue’s history with its present-day work. Many find working with The Spitz Music Charity their most rewarding work, allowing them to connect with individuals through the power of live music in a really intimate and impactful way.
Jane Glitre, who was involved in The Spitz from its earliest development and later became its Managing Director, went on to establish The Spitz Music Charity. Jane says: “The Spitz holds a special place in so many people’s hearts. It was about so much more than the music – it was a place where people from all walks of life came together, made memories and felt part of something special. Thirty years on, I’m incredibly proud that its spirit lives on through The Spitz Music Charity. But we also wanted to mark this anniversary by celebrating where it all began, and the people who made The Spitz what it was. Having a permanent plaque here at Old Spitalfields Market feels like a fitting tribute.”
The unveiling will take place during the London Jazz Festival, reflecting the important place jazz held in The Spitz’s identity. Although the venue became particularly associated with jazz, its programme ranged widely across folk, blues, Afrobeat, punk and other musical styles, with an emphasis on quality, curiosity and an inclusive welcome.
The live performances at the unveiling will celebrate the people behind that legacy, bringing music back to the spot where The Spitz helped create so many lasting memories.
Event details
What: Commemorative plaque unveiling for The Spitz, with live music from the following artists:
Silla Mosley (vocals) - Soul, blues and gospel vocalist
Izo Fitzroy (vocals) - Soul, blues and gospel vocalist
Jay Phelps (trumpet) - One of the UK’s leading jazz trumpeters
Pete Lee (piano) - Composer and session player for Tom Walker, Gabrielle Aplin, Katie Melua, and Bruno Major.
Wesley Gibbens (drums) - Jazz drummer with The Darius Brubeck Quartet
Edmondo Cicchetti (double bass)
When: Tuesday 17 November 2026. Plaque unveiling at 5pm. Live music from 5.30pm
Where: Old Spitalfields Market, Commercial Street, London E1. The plaque will be mounted at the entrance between 109 & 111 Commercial Street
To find out more visit http://www.spitz.org.uk
The Spitz Music Charity uses live music to support health and wellbeing in care homes, hospitals and community settings. Its work continues the original venue’s spirit of bringing people together through live music.
The commemorative plaque has been organised by the Spitz Music Charity with the express permission of Old Spitalfields Market. It is an independently organised commemorative plaque, rather than part of an official council blue plaque scheme.