Plans announced to repair and reopen popular Lancaster music centre

Wednesday, 8 March 2023 07:59

By Greg Lambert @greglam72

Plans to repair and reopen a popular base for local musicians to play, rehearse and record have been announced.

The finishing touches are being put together to plans to secure the future of the Lancaster Music Co-Op building which has been closed since 2020.

A funding bid will go in to a £150m pot of government money which, alongside a £430,000 grant from Lancaster City Council, will allow urgent repairs to get the Co-Op back up and running.

A long-term lease agreement is also in the process of being finalised.

The Co-op have occupied 1 Lodge Street in the city since 1985, but over the years the building has deteriorated to the point where it needs major structural repairs. As a result, the Co-op have had to move out and the building temporarily closed.

Lancaster Music Co-op is a non-profit rehearsal facility, recording studio and music space for the music community in Lancaster and the surrounding area.

In 2018, Lancaster City Council issued the Music Co-op with an eviction order. However, the local community fought hard in a nationwide campaign to save it.

The campaign received nationwide support including from the famous Abbey Road Studios in London where The Beatles recorded.

Councillors then unanimously voted to secure its future for good by rescinding the eviction notice, assuring the Co-op they would grant a long-term affordable lease below market value and promising to carry out much needed repairs to the building.

Councillor Caroline Jackson, leader of Lancaster City Council, said: “I’d like to thank the members of the Music Co-op for the positive way they have worked with the council since 2018 and the understanding they have shown during this process.

“I think we’d all agree that we would have wanted to see this resolved sooner, but a combination of factors, including the Covid pandemic, have meant progress has not been as quick as we may have liked. A number of issues arose which needed to be resolved and together we’ve managed to find workable solutions.

“The important aspect though is that we are now in a positive place that will allow the Co-op to continue to support musicians for many years to come.”

The funding bid will go in to the government's Community Ownership Fund which aims to support local institutions.

In the meantime, the Co-op has launched a newly revamped website and is hosting a free event with live music at The Pub, Lancaster on Thursday March 16 starting at 7pm.

Members of the public are invited to come along and meet the Lancaster Music Co-op team to find out what’s been happening behind the scenes to secure the future of the much-loved community facility.

There will be live music from local bands including The Call Up and Varicose Veins as well as an open mic session with Hellen Kelly and Amy Rae, and attendees will be able to see a presentation of the brand-new website.

The new site features a local gig listings page, providing up-to-date information on the regional music scene.

There will also be a Question and Answer session where local people can find out what has been happening, why the Co-op has remained closed and when they can hope to see it re-open.

The event is free and is open to everyone.