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Liverpool’s The Zanzibar Club to permanently close
By Chris Cooke | Published on Thursday 6 August 2020
Liverpool venue The Zanzibar Club yesterday confirmed that it would close for good after struggling to weather the COVID-19 storm.
The venue’s Scott Burgess wrote on Facebook: “The Zanzibar Club has been a true survivor over the past 30 years, but with the current climate of uncertainty and the probability of remaining closed for a year, we have had to make the heartbreaking decision to permanently close our venue. [Having] very limited time left on our lease, and too many years of wear and tear on our building structure, puts us in a financially unattainable position to re-open”.
He went on: “From all the Zanzibar crew past and present we would like to say a huge thank you to all the performers that have graced the stage at Zanzibar and brought music and joy into many people’s lives. Thank you to all gig-goers, friends that have turned into family – you all have made Zanzibar feel like a second home for us. We appreciate everyone for their loyal support over the years and wish you all the best for the future”.
Promoters of the city’s annual showcase festival Liverpool Sound City – which also recently confirmed its plan postponed 2020 edition could not now go ahead – said they were “absolutely devastated” to hear that The Zanzibar Club would not re-open.
“The Zanzibar has played a massive part in the journey of almost every single musician in the city and beyond too”, they said in another Facebook post. “We had the pleasure of hosting great acts in The Zanzibar for several editions of Sound City: Australia’s Courtney Barnett and Manchester sweethearts The 1975 to name a few”.
It’s no secret that venues across the UK are struggling to stay in business as the COVID-19 shutdown extends. Though it’s hoped that many will be rescued by the culture-sector specific funding pledged by the UK government, with grassroots venues in particular identified as beneficiaries of that funding from the off.
The Music Venue Trust and other music industry trade groups continue to lobby hard to ensure that funding is delivered as rapidly and effectively as possible. Meanwhile, MVT also continues with its own fundraising activity.
As part of that, it was announced yesterday that The Fightback Brewing Company – the brewer that usually supports the Music Venue Trust by donating a cut of the monies made by selling special beers in grassroots venues – will now be selling said beers online too. You can find out all about that here.
