Boost for Yorkshire grassroots venues aiming to keep live music alive
Pubs and music go together like fish and chips or Yorkshire Pudding and gravy.
But the future of live music in hostelries is far from secure. The cost of keeping live venues open is a challenge that the Music Venue Properties organisation is determined to conquer.
MVP, the pioneering charitable Community Benefit Society, has announced the acquisition of the properties housing Northern Guitars in Leeds and Gut Level in Sheffield.
The deals make them the first Yorkshire grassroots music venues to be secured through the Own Our Venues initiative, bringing the total number of venues protected by Music Venue Properties to nine.
Northern Guitars and Gut Level will now benefit from permanent protection and long-term security under community ownership.
Through its Own Our Venues initiative, MVP acquires the buildings that house grassroots music venues, removing them from the risks of the commercial property market and safeguarding their future as vital cultural assets for their local communities.
This pioneering model has earned the organisation the nickname the ‘National Trust for Music Venues’.
Frazer Scott and Katie Matthews of Gut Level said in a statement: “We’re thrilled to make this official and become part of Music Venue Properties’ growing network of community-owned venues.
“Gut Level has always championed new ways of doing things, so the principles of community ownership felt like a natural fit.
"Having long-term security and a supportive landlord is a gamechanger, giving us the confidence to invest in the space, plan for the future and continue supporting Sheffield’s grassroots music scene.
“This stability will benefit not only the venue, but also the many people who use Gut Level to create, organise, connect, and celebrate. It’s a huge win for our community – and for Sheffield’s weirdos.”
Dave Baguley and Rick Wade of Northern Guitars were equally enthusiastic.
They said: “If we had to sum up Music Venue Properties taking ownership of our building in one word, it would be: relax.
“Northern Guitars has been supporting working musicians since 1989, and for the last decade our venue has provided an important first step for emerging artists.
"We survived Covid thanks to the support of Music Venue Trust, and when our landlord decided to sell the building last year, Music Venue Properties stepped in once again to secure our future.”
Since launching in 2022, MVP has raised over £7m through a combination of community investment, with music fans able to purchase shares from £50, and vital support from cultural partners including Arts Council England, the UK Government and Figurative.
Gut Level and Northern Guitars are the eighth and ninth venues secured through the initiative, joining The Snug in Atherton, The Ferret in Preston, Le Pub in Newport, The Bunkhouse in Swansea, The Booking Hall in Dover, The Croft in Bristol and The Joiners in Southampton in a growing portfolio of venues now owned by the music community.