A campaign has been launched to save The Brickmakers pub and live music venue as the coronavirus pandemic looks set to leave them with no funds by the end of June.
The Brickmakers, in Sprowston Road, says it will run out of money if lockdown continues as it needs to keep enough aside to pay owners Ei Publican Partnerships rent, which has been deferred “for the foreseeable future”.
The pub also faced closure back in September 2018 after landlords Charley South, Pam South and Emma Rose revealed they would shut the doors for good due to rent increases.
Followingsa petition to save the pub, which received 17,000 signatures, and negotiations between The Brickmakers and Ei, it was able to stay open.
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After that, it experienced “one of the best years in a while”, but coronavirus has now forced the temporary closure of the pub, furloughing of staff and kegs of wasted beer.
Thankfully, Ei has agreed to replace all unopened and out-of-date kegs with new stock free of charge when its pubs reopen, and The Brickmakers has managed to secure a £25,000 grant from the government.
But to keep the pub afloat, the team has now launched a Crowdfunder campaign to raise £8,000, in partnership with the Music Venue Trust, which works with grassroots venues across the UK, to cover an extra two months.
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Charley South, 45, said: “Funds will be gone at the end of June and predicting what will happen over the next few months is like throwing a stone in the ocean.
“The Brickmakers is vital for the Norwich music scene as artists don’t go straight to The Waterfront, they need places like this to hone their craft.”
A spokesman for Ei Publican Partnerships said: “Our regional manager continues to communicate directly with our publicans at The Brickmakers and has advised that rent and charges continue to be deferred for the foreseeable future.
“We are continuing to work with them in order to best provide the right level of support and assistance when the industry is permitted to re-open for business.”
Donate at crowdfunder.co.uk/savethebrickies
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