News / Bristol Green Party
‘We will do all we can to help Bristol music venues thrive’
Marvin Rees is backing a campaign to safeguard Bristol’s live music scene, as the future of some of the city’s most prominent venues hangs in the balance.
The Fleece is facing a fight for survival in the wake of a substantial hike in rent, coupled with new flats built on its doorstep – and the news broke just weeks the closure of the Surrey Vaults and the Thekla’s announcement that it could be under threat due to development.
A petition has also been launched to save Fiddlers Club in Bedminster – a venue that has supported the city’s music scene for 23 years, but yet again, could be seen off by developers.
is needed now More than ever
Speaking up for Bristol’s nightlife at a full council meeting on Tuesday, December 12, Daniel Cleary, of Fiddlers, said: “Please adopt the ‘agent of change’ to protect grass roots venues who contribute to the reputation of Bristol.
“Without them, the city will be destroyed – it is one of the reasons people have moved here and love living in this great city.”
Doubts were cast over the future of the Thekla
With Bristol’s long and enduring history of live music at stake, the mayor has agreed an ‘agent of change’ principle should be adopted into planning policy, which will dictate that the person or business responsible for change to an area takes responsibility for mitigating its impact.
This puts the onus on developers to ensure sound-proofing of housing near music venues is sufficient, so the establishments are not put at risk of closure.
The threat to existing venues prompted a mass movement from people across the city that gained cross-party support, with thousands signing petitions.
Bristol East MP and renowned music lover Kerry McCarthy is campaigning for protection of the important cultural institutions.
Kerry McCarthy has been campaigning to keep Bristol’s live music scene alive
Calling on the mayor to take action, Green councillors Stephen Clarke and Martin Fodor said the threat posed by new developments is “unacceptable”, claiming “we do not want to end up with a monolithic fabric of residential and retail.”
Responding to their statement, as well as calls from within his own party, Rees said: “I am keen to see our cultural venues thrive at the same time as providing homes in our city centre.
“I understand that our existing policies help us to strike that balance when looking at new housing proposals, but the thinking on this issue has developed since those policies were adopted and I believe that the ‘agent of change’ principle is one that we should be adopting.
He added: “Bristol has a long and successful history of of producing world class bands and music acts. We will do all we can to help music venues thrive in order to provide a varied offer to the people of Bristol.”
Main image by Mike Evans.
Read more: The Fleece survival fight after business rate rises by over 400 per cent
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