The landlords of The Brickmakers say despite pubs being allowed to open they fear they will be forced to remain shut, until live music - a key part of their income - is able to return.
The Brickmakers, in Sprowston Road in Norwich, launched a Crowdfunder campaign in April to help cover its rent while it was shut and so far it has raised £6,000 of its £8,000 target.
The fundraiser was launched in partnership with the Music Venue Trust, as part of its Save Our Venues national campaign, and Norwich-based rock band Blind Tiger even produced a charity single for the pub.
READ MORE: The Drive-in Experience coming to Norfolk with cinema, comedy and music
While many pubs across the country reopened on July 4, The Brickmakers has stayed closed as landlords Charley South, Pam South and Emma Rose don’t think it is viable unless live music can return.
Charley South said: “We won’t get enough people in as we are a music venue with a pub and have about 20 regulars that come here to drink and that isn’t enough to cover our bills.
“We are desperate to reopen but if we do all our service contracts would come back and we would also have to buy beer and go back to paying full rent.
“Music is at the heart of everything we do and if we thought it was a viable option we would change our business model, but we had a meeting with our regional manager and they don’t see how it can work too.”
READ MORE: Take a first look inside Norwich’s new vegan restaurant and cocktail bar
In the meantime, the pub’s rent continues to be deferred by owners Ei Publican Partnerships and the team is hopeful they will get a share of the recently announced £1.57bn support fund for the arts.
During lockdown, they say they have been “overwhelmed” by the support from their customers and have kept in touch with them by launching their own radio station.
A spokesman for Ei Publican Partnerships said: “We are continuing to work in close partnership with our publicans at The Brickmakers whilst they remain unable to trade due to them operating as a music venue.”
Donate at crowdfunder.co.uk/savethebrickies
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here