The outstanding and much loved Windmill Brixton has been named as one of six London venues in imminent danger of permanent closure.
Announcing its Traffic Light campaign to save all grassroots music venues still in crisis, the Music Venue Trust (MVT) said it would concentrate on 30 such venues nationwide.
The MVT represents hundreds of UK grassroots music venues.
The new phase of its successful #saveourvenues campaign will focus on securing the future of 30 venues which were ineligible to receive funding from, or were wholly or partially unsuccessful in their application to the recent government-backed Cultural Recovery Fund.
Other local venues, including Pop Brixton and Hootananny were successful.
MVT said grassroots venues play a crucial role in the development of British music, nurturing local talent, providing a platform for artists to build their careers and develop their music and their performance skills.
“These venues also play a vital role in the cultural and economic vibrancy of any village, town or city,” it said.
The Traffic Light campaign will highlight venues considered safe until 31 March 31 (Green – 353 venues); those at risk of closure between now and 31 March 31 without additional support (Amber – 273 venues) and those at imminent danger of permanent closure (Red – 30 venues). See national map.
The six London venues on the red list are:
- Egg London, Kings Cross
- The Lexington, Islington
- Spiritual Bar, Camden
- The Post Bar, Tottenham
- Windmill, Brixton
- The Waiting Room, Stoke Newington
Activity under the #saveourvenues banner will be based around a combined effort by audiences, local communities, local councils and the creative community to prevent the permanent closure of these remaining venues.
MVT is urging everyone who cares about these venues to write to their local MP, council, local charities, and anyone else they can think of to demand action to prevent them being closed for good.
Mark Davyd, CEO of MVT, said: “What the #saveourvenues campaign has achieved during the last eight months is truly remarkable.
“Thanks to the efforts of music fans, local communities and the wider music sector we have raised over £3m in donations and have unlocked over £80m in government assistance to help stave off the imminent closure of over 400 grassroots music venues.
:We are now focusing exclusively on those 30 remaining venues which face immediate permanent closure.
“If people want these local venues to still be there when this is over there is a very clear call to action: choose a venue, get donating, get writing, get calling, get organised.
“Save them all. Reopen Every Venue Safely.”
A new Crowdfunder appeal has been launched to secure the future of the 30 GMVs.
If an individual target for a particular venue is reached, the surplus donations will go towards supporting other venues in crisis.
As part of these crowdfunding efforts there will also be a new range of merchandise exclusively available to support this campaign and available for delivery by Christmas.
Every item bought directly supports a venue, with MVT paying the costs of printing, packing and delivery.
