MVT buy Dover’s The Booking Hall through ‘The National Trust Of Music Venues’

nme.com:

Don Broco, Frank Turner and Soft Play.The acquisition of the venue by Music Venues Properties (MVP) – which was set up by Music Venue Trust, after a fundraising drive – is part of MVP’s mission to safeguard grassroots music venues across the UK, ensuring that they remain cultural hubs for their communities.The purchase of the venue makes it’s future secure and liberated from the uncertainty which many grassroots music venues are currently facing.Speaking about the acquisition in a press release, Stuart Cameron, the owner of The Booking Hall, said: “Following the owner’s decision earlier this year to put the building up for sale, we were trying to purchase the building ourselves, but did not have the capital up front for a deposit.

Without Music Venue Properties stepping in to purchase the venue, the most likely outcome would have been a property developer turning the building into flats/offices.”He continued: “To know that the venue is secure for many generations to come is a great relief and definitely something to celebrate.

Having MVP as a landlord, one who shares our vision for the venue, enables us to plan for the future – both in the short term and long term.“As well as continuing to support local musicians and provide a stage for up-and-coming artists, we are already having positive discussions with MVP about how we could make changes to the building, which could allow us to increase our capacity and in turn bring bigger bands to Dover.

These certainly weren’t the kind of conversations we could have had prior to MVP’s ownership so we look forward to working together to realise the potential of the building.