Closure of grassroots gig venue ‘imminent’
Bid to save Northern Quarter site on crisis list among 20 at risk
ONE of the city centre’s grassroots gig venues has been identified as being in ‘imminent danger of permanent closure.’
Northern Quarter venue Stage and Radio has been placed on the Music Venue Trust’s Red List as part of its #saveourvenues campaign, highlighting venues in crisis.
The venue on Port Street is one of 20 venues believed to be at risk, along with Legends Live Lounge in Oldham.
Stage and Radio’s owner said the site has missed out on around 18,000 customers during the closure of its event space, which it says makes up 90 per cent of its income.
In brighter news, Pop in Hyde has been removed from the red list after massive fundraising efforts.
Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust, said: “The crisis is nearing its final lap but we need to make sure these venues finish the race.
“With the support of artists and audiences, we have fought our way through the last 11 months venue by venue, case by case, trying to make sure that we are able to reopen every venue safely.
“These six newly-highlighted venues need urgent help, and we still have 14 venues that were on our original red list that we can’t yet guarantee will survive to bring live music back to our communities.
“We are completely determined that they will.”
Stage and Radio boss, James Lunham, said: “Since March last year we have been unable to host events in our space which made up over 90 per cent of our income, we have also been unable to support the careers and ambitions of all our freelancers, artists, promoters and everyone involved that made our space the venue we all love and cherish.
“Over the last 10 months we have been unable to host over 120 events which would have seen in excess of 400 artists and 18,000 patrons through our doors, and unfortunately Stage and Radio was not on the receiving end of Round 1 culture recovery fund.
“Donations and support will be used to help ensure the survival of our venue and sustain the work it delivers for artists, audiences and communities in and around Manchester.”