Music fans urged to support venues as Chesterfield bar says it is 'hanging by a financial thread'

Music fans are being urged to support live venues after one Chesterfield bar said it was “hanging by a financial thread”.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The County Music Bar said it had been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic – and even though it is allowed to open as restrictions are eased, it is making a loss each week due to the rules still in place, such as the requirement for social distancing and limits on the number of households.

It comes after England’s ‘Freedom Day’ – the term coined by Boris Johnson to refer to the end of all coronavirus measures, such as wearing a face mask and social distancing – was officially pushed by four weeks till July 19.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Prime Minister cited the rise of the Delta variant and the spread across the country as the reason for postponing the easing of all restrictions, which was supposed to take place on June 21.

Posting on its Facebook page this week, the Saltergate venue said: “We are hanging by a financial thread – two more weeks until a light at the end of the tunnel.

“This will not be a post about how football has seemed to transcend the rules.

“It is purely a plea to all music fans that have refrained from coming out to once again grace the music venues of the land.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We have lost money every single week since being allowed to open, because being allowed to open with restrictions placed on us has crippled our ability to give you the events you want.

The County Music Bar says it is 'hanging by a financial thread'.The County Music Bar says it is 'hanging by a financial thread'.
The County Music Bar says it is 'hanging by a financial thread'.

“You have lost live events for so long.

“The next step will be losing the venues unless you fully embrace the return to music.”

Upcoming, pre-Freedom Day events at the venue include Pop Punk Unplugged on Saturday, July 10, and FU Fighters, a tribute to Foo Fighters, on July 17.

Fellow Chesterfield live music venue Real Time Live, on Marsden Street, was given £27,500 from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund in April, to help it recover and reopen when coronavirus restrictions are eased, after receiving £62,500 last October.

Joint owner Niki Stephenson is grateful Real Time Live has been awarded cash from the Culture Recovery Fund.Joint owner Niki Stephenson is grateful Real Time Live has been awarded cash from the Culture Recovery Fund.
Joint owner Niki Stephenson is grateful Real Time Live has been awarded cash from the Culture Recovery Fund.
Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Read More
Chesterfield Pride postponed until August following 'Freedom Day' delay

Support your Derbyshire Times by becoming a digital subscriber. You will see 70 per cent fewer ads on stories, meaning faster load times and an overall enhanced user experience. Click here to subscribe.