Aire Street Arts - Take It Easy Lab
Despite the fact that the pandemic exploaded onto the scene 4 years ago, the strain and harship it put on independent businesses and it's individuals has echoed onto the present day. Not only did businesses have to face COVID, but were then shortly followed by the cost of living crises. Particularly within the alternative and grassroots scenes, we are seeing the necks of businesses barely staying above the figurative financial profit margin, with some of the more unfortunate ones facing permanent closure.
That was the case with the Vortex bar and nightclub in Wakefield, where on the 21st May 2024, they announced the permanent closure by the end of that week. The sudden closure came proceeding a fundraising post asking for loyal supporters to donate towards keeping the place afloat.
Vortex Bar and Nightclub - Bandsintown
Located on King Street, a turn off the Westgate drinking strip, you were met with stairs leading ominously down into a dark room decked head to toe in t shirts and band posters. The venue had an upstairs, in which the gig venues were held, althought it was closed throughout covid. Downstairs, you were welcomed to sit and relax on black sofas, with band T-shirts and posters patchworked across the walls. Pool, drinks, and putting your favourite songs on requests were a staple of lockdown drinking back when we had all freshly turned 18. The Venue was one of a kind within Wakefield, being a nurturing gig venue for budding thrash, death and metalcore bands to hit the stage post COVID, and allowing a community of alternatives a mingling space.
You can argue that being located in Wakefield is one of the causes in Vortex's closure. While the opportunities compared to other cities in terms of jobs, higher education, and youth engagement undermines Wakefield, it was places like Vortex that kept that creative cultural flame held high. Wakefield was also put under the lense after the exposure of a discreet plans to buldoze the Old Vicarage, one of Wakefield's oldest buildings homing independent retailers. Most notably, this housed Division 24, a shop which powered the skate scene of city.
Thankfully, a petition against the demolition gained over 1000 responses, resulting in the scrap of plans.
While this seems disheartening to the people of Wakefield, pushing more people to venuture elsewhere, there are some beacons of hope. Wakefield, this year, has financed for culture grants, ranging from £1500 to £20000 for events to contribute to the culture of the city. Could this be where we see more opportunities for people to engage with the city? Could this be the chance for more indpendent businesses, start ups, galleries and gigs to start up again?
BOOM, a harcore and metal venue in Leeds, has also been put under financial strain, once through the pandemic, and now through the cost of living crisis. Like Vortex, they too put out a fundraiser online to followers. This was successful, and BOOM continues to survive with a cult fanbase, a variety of both larger touring bands, and fresh performers. You may argue this is down to the venue being in a larger city venue, and that there is a wider marketing campaign onlnie, reaching more younger people. Yes, it may be, however BOOM is just one of the lucky, final standing grassroots venues within the North of England.
Alternatively, in Leeds, Aire Street Workshops, a non-for-profit refurbished factory is facing eviction by 2025. The building which hosts workshops, a darkroom, small artistic businesses and more is owned by Leeds City Council. The short eviction notice, allegedly caused by the cost of living crisis, comes after Leeds hosted 'Leeds 2023 Year of Culture'.
In a city that hosts not only the Conservatoire Music College, and the Leeds Arts University, you would hope that creative spaces such as these would survive, and that the voices of the people who trade and create are heard. You can find the petition to stop the sale of Aire Street Workshops here: https://chng.it/Y8kT7WzQNR . If it worked in Wakefield, it can work here.
In the gothic corner of Leeds, le phono has moved venues once again to High Fi club, after the closure of Wire, again through the cost of living crisis. This has been a regular occurance for the clubnight, following the closure of it's own club in the 90s, and appears to be the fate of Vortex, mentioned earlier, which now has single club nights at Hogarths pub in Wakefield.
Back in 2022, post covid and into the beginning of the financial crisis, the Leadmill was hit hard with an eviction notice from their landlord. The indie music venue managed to stay afloat with grants from the Arts Council and Alex Turner from the Arctic Monkeys.
In conclusion, the common demoninator of all these borderline, or permanent, closures is dependent on the voice of the public. We are able to keep our venues afloat with powerful objections in their masses. The majority of cultural nights, activities and events survive in places like these, and therefore it is important that we do all we can to support them financially.
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