PIAS have responded to the fire which saw their warehouse destroyed in the London riots last night (August 8), saying that “emergency plans” are being implemented.
The company distributes a large number of independent labels including XL, Domino and Sunday Best. Last night, as violence spread throughout the capital, their three-storey warehouse was destroyed, obliterating most of those companies’ stock.
With their website Pias.com/uk buckling under the pressure, the distributor have no issued the following statement: “There was a fire last night at the SonyDADC warehouse which services the physical distribution for PIAS in the UK and Ireland. PIAS is working closely with SonyDADC who are implementing their emergency plans.
“PIAS’s UK offices in London and all other areas of our business are unaffected. More information will be communicated shortly to all our labels and partners.”
Although the full extent of the damage is so far unclear, there are already fears about the impact the loss of so much stock at once will have on the already-strained independent music sector.
Last night saw the third consecutive day of rioting, after a peaceful protest in Tottenham on Saturday (August 6) over the death of Mark Duggan during a police operation, turned violent. By last night, rioting and looting had spread to Hackey, Camden, Ealing, Clapham, and also spreading out into Birmingham.
How the fire affects the music industry
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XcNnTAC6BvQ