Two historic grassroots music venues in England have been preserved for future gigs after a campaign from Music Venue Properties.
The Joiners in Southampton and The Croft in Bristol have both been purchased with support from Arts Council England.
Artists including Arctic Monkeys, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, PJ Harvey, Oasis, IDLES and Wet Leg played at the venues early in their careers,
The trust helps by removing the venues from vulnerable leases by purchasing the freehold of the buildings and placing them into community ownership.
The Joiners operator Ricky Bates said: ‘We want to thank every single person who has bought a share in the scheme and ensured The Joiners’ future.
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‘As one of the most important live music venues ever to exist in the UK, this is a win for all independent live music across the globe – with this now in place, we will be here for another sixty years and potentially FOREVER!’
Though The Croft recently reopened, its future as a venue had been uncertain until the recent purchase, World Famous Dive Bars’ Marc Griffiths said.
‘Now, with MVP as the landlord, we know that this legendary venue will be part of Bristol’s unique music ecosystem for generations to come,’ he added.
Since launching in 2022, the Own Our Venues campaign has raised almost £4 million through a combination of community investment — with music fans buying shares from as little as £50 — and vital funding from cultural partners.
The Joiners and The Croft join The Snug in Atherton, The Ferret in Preston, Le Pub in Newport, The Bunkhouse in Swansea and The Booking Hall in Dover as venues now owned by the music community.
Squeeze co-founder and frontman Glenn Tilbrook said: ‘We must do everything we can to ensure that these buildings are protected from development and the venues safeguarded for generations to come.
‘They are essential, not just for fostering local talent but to ensure that our communities have access to cultural hubs and affordable live music.’
How do ‘cultural leases’ work?
The ‘cultural lease’ that MVP has created provides long-term security for operators by offering stability and support not afforded by most typical commercial tenancies.
It ensures fair, sustainable rent, annual contributions toward essential maintenance, and ongoing support in areas such as financial sustainability and operational best practice.
This comprehensive support and having a supportive and benevolent landlord help venues focus on their mission to bring music to their local communities while ensuring that communities have permanent cultural spaces for future generations.
IDLES frontman Joe Talbot praised the news and said it was a ‘dream’ to have The Croft taken back by the community.
‘I am excited for our city and its people to celebrate and witness an example of positive investment in the community, by the community whose ideas and art can help us connect and change the world.
‘That sounds dramatic, but it’s the grassroots venues that are the birthplace of revolution.’
The campaign is hoping to bring seven more music venues, including Esquires in Bedford, The Sugarmill in Stoke-on-Trent, Peggy’s Skylight in Nottingham, The Pipeline in Brighton, Northern Guitars in Leeds, Gut Level in Sheffield, and Little Buildings in Newcastle, into public ownership.
Matt Otridge, COO of Own Our Venues, said the work isn’t over yet as other venues are under threat.
‘e are calling on everyone, the industry, artists, government and music fans to come together and invest what they can. Every contribution helps us to secure more venues, and each investor can then stand alongside those who already proudly say: We own these venues.”
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