The Chameleon, a popular music venue in Nottingham, is set to close its doors at the end of March. The venue’s owners, John Rothera and Lauren Insley, had announced in November that the establishment was under threat of closure due to their landlord’s decision to sell the building. The expenses accumulated as a result of COVID-19 and the increasing cost of living also added to the venue’s financial difficulties. In a statement posted on Facebook, the owners confirmed that the building has now been sold and that the last day of operation will be on March 30.
The owners of the Chameleon also stated that they had considered moving to a new location, but ultimately decided that the business “isn’t viable” in its current site. The rising costs of everything only worsened their situation and led to the accumulation of debts. The owners made it clear that their financial difficulties had made it impossible for them to carry on with the business and that the decision to close was the only viable option left.
In response to the news of the closure, Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd expressed his concerns about the sustainability of individual venue operators and the need for an industry-wide solution. He stated that the solution he was advocating for is the introduction of a £1 levy on tickets for large-scale music events, which would be reinvested into grassroots venues. Last month, a report revealed that 125 UK venues abandoned live music in 2023, with over half of them shutting down entirely. Some of the reasons for these closures were soaring energy prices, landlords increasing rate amounts, supply costs, business rates, licensing issues, and noise complaints, among other constraints.
The closure of the Chameleon marks yet another loss to the UK’s grassroots music venues and highlights the need for more support for these establishments. The venue’s owners have urged supporters to come down, enjoy live music and other events, and help cover their debts in the coming weeks ahead of the establishment’s imminent closure
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