Music / venues
Bristol’s newest music venue battles for survival
Bristol’s newest music venue opened in September as a socially distanced sit-down bar, daytime cafe and record shop.
Strange Brew has been ineligible for any government financial support during the pandemic, however, because it is so new.
As Bristol is within tier 3 with no reopening date in sight, the venue’s future remains in jeopardy.
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Despite only being months old, the venue within a former car showroom on Fairfax Street already has supporters across the city, so far raising more than £8,000 in a crowdfunder in conjunction with the Music Venues Trust to help secure their future.
Strange Brew was in part crowdfunded over the summer of 2019, when more than £53,000 was raised towards the £120,000 fit-out costs.
This time, owners – club promoters Dirtytalk – are hoping to raise at least £15,000 to pay rent and overheads through what in essence remains a continued lockdown in Bristol for a business such as Strange Brew.
Strange Brew is a former car showroom that had been empty for a decade. Today it is a fully wheelchair accessible live music venue with art space, bar, daytime café and record shop – photo: Strange Brew
Co-director Kerry Patterson said: “Since getting the keys we have been battling through two lockdowns, the 10pm curfew and a 70 per cent reduction in capacity.
“But because we are so new we have been ineligible for any government financial support during the pandemic.”
Strange Brew was refused any government Covid grants because regulations said that they had to be fully open and trading when lockdown started in March.
It has also been ineligible for Covid funding from Arts Council England because it has not been trading for more than 12 months.
Despite the constraints, since opening it has proven popular as a socially distanced sit-down bar, with some of Bristol’s best underground DJs gracing the decks and tables selling out.
Co-director Shaun Tennant said: “We have been working flat out to make Strange Brew safe and successful during the pandemic, and so far we’ve had a had a lot of positive feedback from the music community about how we have balanced being Covid secure whilst giving people something worthwhile to come into town for.”
Co-director Rob Needham added: “Until the 10pm curfew was introduced we were easily making ends meet, but when that came in and all office workers and students disappeared from the centre, we have just about been breaking even.
Live music due to take place in November and early December has now been moved to January 2021, and provided the business can survive over Christmas and into the new year, Strange Brew’s co-directors promise bigger things to come at the venue.
Donate to Strange Brew’s crowdfunding campaign at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/saveourvenues-strange-brew-bristol
The venue on Fairfax Street is run by club promoters Dirtytalk – photo: Strange Brew
Main photo: Strange Brew
Read more: Devastating impact of cancelled music events on Bristol’s economy
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