Ipswich live music venue warns more closures will be "game over"
The Music Room has launched a last-resort Crowdfunder to help with reopening costs
Last updated 21st Apr 2021
A live music venue in Ipswich has warned further lockdowns will be "game over" for many in the industry.
According to the roadmap, announced in February, venues like The Music Room will be able to hold shows from "no earlier than" 17 May on a reduced scale.
According to the venue on Duke Street, they haven't qualified for the main coronavirus grants, and have launched an appeal for funds to help with reopening.
Events manager and musician, Darren Smith, said:
"As long as we get the green light to go ahead, we're going to throw everything we've got at it to open in May and keep going as long as possible.
"My main worry is, later down the line if there's another lockdown, not just for us but for a lot of venues it could be game over."
In order to support The Music Room and its owners, Darren donated the profits from his most recent album, with the Crowdfunder being a last resort.
Despite the struggles of the pandemic, Darren remains optimistic and has booked up artists for much of the year, with "all systems ready to go" when they are permitted to open.
The Music Room often welcomes musicians from across Europe but this year will be focusing on UK-based artists and those local to the region.
Darren hopes it will provide a boost for the venue and musicians in the country:
"In one night I used to have five or six bands on the bill, but for starters we're going to do a couple of events with two or three bands. We'll also have a couple of solo artists, duos and we're going to having all different genres of music as well."
The venue is aiming to raise £2,000 ahead of reopening via its Crowdfunder page.