The Bunkhouse, a grassroots music venue in Swansea, is the latest to be saved by Music Venue Trust’s #OwnOurVenues scheme.
The scheme was first revealed by Music Venue Trust in May 2022 and announced as a success a year later after £2.3million was raised by the charity through a series of donations and investments. Dubbed “The National Trust, but for venues”, and backed by the likes of Ed Sheeran, it sees venues sign a “cultural lease” with Music Venue Properties (MVP) that guarantees that, as long as they operate as a space for grassroots live music for their local community, they can enjoy use of the building.
Since the announcement of #OwnOurVenues, MVP, the independent Charitable Community Benefit Society (CCBS) created by Music Venue Trust, has purchased two properties. The Snug in Atherton was the first to be saved and protected by the scheme in October last year, followed by Preston’s The Ferret in May.
The purchase of the Bunkhouse, a 235-capacity live music venue, rehearsal space and photography studio in Swansea, marks the first Welsh venue to be placed under permanent protected status by the scheme.
“The last few years have been a rollercoaster for The Bunkhouse and the music community in South West Wales,” says Jordan McGuire, Director of The Bunkhouse. “When the building went on the market, the threat of closure was very real, and it wasn’t just about potentially losing my business, it was about losing a home for the musicians, the artists, and the fans who have found their voice here.”
McGuire went on to say that the venue had “played a pivotal role in shaping the music scene in Wales,” and that the prospect of its closure “was heartbreaking for everyone”.
“Now, with Music Venue Properties stepping in as our landlord, those fears have been laid to rest. The future looks bright. We can finally focus on continuing to develop the next generation of talent, knowing that The Bunkhouse is secure and will remain a cornerstone of Swansea’s music scene long after I’m gone.”
Own Our Venues aims to eliminate the issue of ownership that threatens the survival of music venues across the country. Currently, 93% of grassroots venues are tenants, with the typical operator only having 18 months left on their tenancy.
Mark Dayvd, CEO of Music Venue Trust said, “The Bunkhouse is the lynchpin venue for new
and emerging artists in the Swansea scene. Jordan and his team have created an essential
stop for any breaking band tour and it’s fantastic to see that work recognised and the future of this venue secured for decades to come.”
It comes at a time of crisis for small music venues in the UK. Earlier this year, Music Venue Trust delivered their full report into the state of the sector for 2023, showing the “disaster” facing live music with venues closing at a rate of around two per week.
Presenting their findings at Westminster, the charity also echoed their calls for a £1 levy on tickets for gigs at arena size and above and for major labels to pay back into the grassroots scene, arguing that “the big companies are now going to have to answer for this”.
Last year, following the closure of legendary Bath music venue Moles, Davyd told NME that the live music industry was “interested in making money but not in the ecosystem.”
“125 live music venues have closed and [the industry] did nothing at all. They let Bath Moles close. Anybody in this country who understands live music is absolutely stunned that the industry doesn’t think that matters,” he said. “It may not matter to them, but it matters to people who actually like live music. It matters to artists, it matters to anyone who cares. If you’re too busy making money to pay attention to that and realise that it’s a problem that you need to get involved with, then good luck to you – but it won’t last. People are just fed up.”
In other news, earlier this month Coldplay announced that 10 per cent of their proceeds from their upcoming stadium shows in London and Hull would be given to Music Venue Trust, in a bid to help support grassroots venues around the country. Following the news, fans reacted positively on social media, with one saying “This is the start of something big”.
“Coldplay are the perfect example of a UK band who came through the grassroots circuit on their way to worldwide stadium-filling success,” said MVT CEO Mark Davyd. “It’s fantastic to see them celebrating their own pathway to Wembley by giving back to the grassroots music venues that supported them and recognising the artists and promoters that are struggling more than ever to build their own careers.”
Davyd added that the money will “go directly into work that ensures communities right across the country will continue to have access to great live music on their doorstep”.
