Fans of historic London venue The 100 Club have set up a campaign to save the Oxford Street institution.
For over fifty years The 100 Club has lain at the heart of London’s music scene. The venue has hosted modern jazz, R&B, soul, rock, punk and indie in its time with more historic shows than anyone can count.
However spiralling rents on Oxford Street could cause the venue to close. Owners of The 100 Club admitted this week that closing the doors was an option, with costs far exceeding the venue’s income.
The reports have caused an outcry, with the 100 Club having aided the careers of rock stardom. The Clash guitarist Mick Jones made himself available, with the Westway band having launched their career at the venue.
Now fans have taken it upon themselves to aid the London institution. Tony Morrison and Jim Piddington have launched a new web based campaign, appealing for fans to donate money to the 100 Club.
Currently, the owners require around £500,000 to keep the club open after which they could begin the process to secure heritage status. This would recognise the building’s cultural importance, and help to make its future more sustainable.
“The idea is that a committee would be elected by the donors, and they would make decisions to take the club into the future” Tony Morrison told the NME. “Eventually, once the club was financially secure, we would love to see it listed as a heritage site and then also look for funding from places like the Arts Council as well as sponsorship from large companies, plus, of course, the all important donors.”
Continuing, Morrison emphasised that time was of the essence explaining that the campaign has “six weeks to try to secure the funds needed for this to happen”.
Opening in 1942, The 100 Club is one of London’s longest established live music venues. For more information on the campaign click HERE.
