Plans for ‘raves’ at St Paul’s Cathedral have been branded ‘an insult to the memory of Lord Nelson’ by the family of the famous naval commander, who is buried in the historic monument. London landmark.
St Paul’s has entered into a four-year partnership with Fabric, making the nightclub the exclusive partner for music events until 2030.
The first concert is scheduled for October 29, 2026, although the performer has yet to be revealed.
Organizers say the program will bring together artists from different musical backgrounds whose work responds to the cathedral’s architecture, acoustics and historic setting.
However, the plans have raised objections because Nelson, one of Britain’s most celebrated naval commanders, is buried in the cathedral’s crypt.
Peregrine Hood, president of the Nelson Society and a descendant of Nelson’s older brother, said the decision raised wider questions about the treatment of St Paul’s as both a place of worship and a place of national historic importance.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Mr Hood said: ‘Is nothing sacred anymore? What a sad reflection on where spiritual integrity and Christianity are today. It is deeply depressing that St Paul’s Cathedral is positioning itself in this way.”
He said his concerns extended beyond Nelson himself, arguing that the cathedral was one of Christianity’s most important sacred spaces.
St Paul’s Cathedral has faced criticism from Lord Nelson’s family over plans to host music concerts in partnership with London nightclub Fabric
Fabric will be the cathedral’s exclusive partner for music events until 2030. Pictured: Clubbers queuing outside Fabric nightclub
“Nelson came from a family steeped in the church, and perhaps this abuse of a sacred place would have caused him even more discomfort than the prospect of dancing on his grave,” he said.
Despite descriptions of the events as ‘raves’, it is assumed that the concerts will take place in full.
At the beginning of each performance, the audience is instructed to remain in their seats the entire time.
The events will also take place in the main part of the cathedral under the dome, rather than in the crypt where Nelson’s grave is located.
St Paul’s has stressed that the program aims to give the public another way to experience the historic building, rather than turning it into a conventional nightclub.
Sandra Lynes Timbrell, the cathedral’s director of visitor engagement, said the partnership would enable St Paul’s to present a ‘carefully curated program of exceptional concerts’ and introduce the building to people who might not otherwise attend.
She said the events will feature world-class performers, while allowing the public to experience the cathedral’s distinctive environment and heritage.
Fabric co-founder Cameron Leslie described the collaboration as an unusual meeting of two contrasting sides of London.
He said the nightclub had always strived to bring people together through music and the partnership provided the opportunity to create performances that suited the cathedral’s unique environment.
Fabric co-founder Cameron Leslie called the deal “an extraordinary and unexpected coming together of two very different parts of London. Pictured: The crowd at Fabric nightclub in Farringdon
The events, which will take place entirely under the cathedral’s dome, have been described by Nelson’s descendants as an ‘insult’ to the memory of the naval commander.
The collaboration builds on a series of concerts already held at St Paul’s. Artists such as RY
Although Fabric will now become the Cathedral’s official partner for music events, the relationship between the two organizations predates the new agreement. Fabric has been involved behind the scenes in concerts at St Paul’s since 2024.
The decision comes after similar criticism surrounding music and dance events at other historic places of worship.
Canterbury Cathedral caused controversy in 2024 when it hosted a series of silent discos.
Critics called the events a ‘rave in the ship’, while a petition to oppose it gathered more than 1,600 signatures.
The petition’s organizer, Cajetan Skowronski, argued that such events threatened to undermine the cathedral’s religious purpose. He said they would not bring young people closer to Christianity but could instead imply that entertainment should take priority over worship.
Nelson was killed in the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 and was returned to Britain before being buried with full state honors at St Paul’s the following year.
His grave is among a number of historically important burials in the cathedral. Nelson’s friend and second-in-command, Vice Admiral Cuthbert Collingwood, is also buried there, alongside the cathedral’s architect, Sir Christopher Wren, and the celebrated artist JMW Turner.
The Nelson Society has previously defended the admiral’s legacy, including during the Black Lives Matter protests, when concerns were raised that monuments commemorating Nelson becoming a target of vandalism amid criticism of its ties to the slave trade.
St Paul’s, meanwhile, has a long history of organizing musical performances. Concerts have taken place in the cathedral since the 1950s, with artists such as Paul Robeson and Patti Smith having performed there in recent decades.
The latest program is expected to focus largely on contemporary and electronic music, but the cathedral has emphasized that the events will be curated specifically for this setting.
The first Fabric-backed concert at St Paul’s will take place on October 29, with artist details yet to be announced.
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