City venue saved after £20k boost
THE FUTURE of a popular city nightclub has been secured thanks to kindhearted Glaswegians. Around 400 locals have banded together to raise £20,000 in just four weeks to save Firewater from permanent closure.
Bosses warned earlier this month that the Sauchiehall Street venue would not survive another coronavirus lockdown.
Now, staff are preparing to re-open the Indie nightclub and bar in just three weeks’ time.
Paddy Hynes, who is the Director of the club, said: “Initially, the £20,000 has taken us out of the red and put us back into the green again which means we will be able to open back up this summer.
“It has taken a huge amount of pressure off us and right now, we’re sighing with relief.
“Despite not reaching the £40,000 goal, we feel so grateful to the community that has helped to take us out of this dark period.”
If everything goes to plan, Paddy hopes to have locals back at the bar enjoying pints by May 17.
He added: “We will work with the restrictions to see what we can do. As long as everyone keeps sticking to the rules then it will all be worth it and we can get back slowly and start living our lives again.
“The sad thing now is that the Thursday night works won’t be back for a while but we can work towards that again, thanks to how kind everyone has been.
“We have been granted an outdoor application which is very small but we will make the most of it. We will also have indoor seating at a limited capacity but it means we can get back to work again.”
With thanks to the funds raised, more than 40 jobs at the city centre venue have been saved.
Mr Hynes, whose father opened the venue almost 20 years ago, said: “Following the fundraiser, it has given us a big boost and shows us much anticipation of what is to come. Those who donated didn’t just save the venue but saved a lot of jobs too.
“I think the staff feel relieved that we can open back up – it was a concerning time for a while there.
“A lot of people have been on furlough and some bars and clubs haven’t been able to open back up in a whole year but there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.
“We are so thankful to the city for their contributions and hope to see them back at Firewater again soon. I think the key message is to continue to support small businesses and help support their future.”
On Monday, we told how McChuills, based on High Street, successfully re-opened its doors after facing “imminent closure” due to the coronavirus pandemic.
After launching an online fundraiser, donations from Glaswegians across the globe surpassed £15,000.