Margate music venue fights for survival after licensing complications left it unable to sell alcohol for over a month
Where Else? is located at The Centre in Margate(Image: )
A beloved grassroots music venue in Margate is battling to stay afloat after a licensing mishap prevented it from serving alcohol for over a month.
Where Else?, located at The Centre in Margate, has launched an emergency crowdfunding campaign and has already raised nearly £20,000 towards its £40,000 goal.
The venue has warned that without additional support, it may be forced to shut its doors permanently by the end of January.
Having operated for seven years, the space was originally known as Elsewhere, where it combined live music with a record shop under one roof.
Around three years ago, it underwent a rebrand to Where Else?, dedicating itself entirely to live performances, with co-founder Sammy Clarke assuming management responsibilities.
Mr Clarke emphasised the venue’s crucial contribution to Margate’s cultural landscape.
“Grassroots music venues are the lifeblood of communities – they give local people a voice and somewhere to not be alone,” he said.
“It can be a place where someone might first read a poem on stage. We’ve given many artists their first-ever gigs; we’ve hosted groundbreaking international talent. We give people something to look forward to.”
A licensing problem throughout November and early December meant the venue was prohibited from selling alcohol and forced to close at 11pm, resulting in a significant loss of revenue.
“It was a freak error that led to dire consequences,” Mr Clarke said. He said the alcohol licence had initially been held by a private company he established, but when the operation converted to a community interest company, the private firm – which held the licence – was wound up.
The annual licence renewal fee was also settled late.
“The bar is the primary revenue stream,. We still honoured the gigs we had booked in because obviously we’d have lost money on deposits on artists,” he said. “To take shows off the road would be a travesty.”
Throughout the disruption, the venue ran on a corkage-only model, permitting patrons to bring their own beverages for a charge.
Mr Clarke said the venue now requires a further £20,000 to be raised to secure its financial position.
“Grassroots music venues tend to subsist month to month like most small businesses tend to in the current climate,” Mr Clarke said.
“Year on year, these losses add up – there are months where we had to default on rent payments, where I had to choose between affording to pay myself or all my staff so I would go into credit to keep myself going.
“It’s just been a really, really difficult time to run a grassroots music venue and the cost-of-living-crisis is also putting downward pressure on people’s ability to come out to events as much as they would like.”
The Music Venue Trust, which is supporting the crowdfunding campaign, explained the funds will tackle £15,000 worth of historical debt, settle outstanding supplier bills, cover an urgent VAT payment, compensate for revenue lost during the licensing issues, reimburse personal credit cards used to keep the venue afloat, and provide financial stability during quieter trading periods.
Should the fundraising campaign prove successful, Where Else? has outlined several improvements designed to ensure its long-term viability, including more regular opening times, transforming the upstairs area into a co-working hub, hosting community workshops, providing rehearsal space for local artists and staging pop-up food events.
Mr Clarke revealed: “We’re in discussions about setting up a board of trustees with more people overseeing the health of the venue.”
He continued: “Previously, our opening hours have been based on what events are run but we’re going to adjust them to four nights a week, with a view to opening five and then seven nights a week.”
Thanet District Council’s cabinet member for culture, Cllr Kristian Bright (Lab), expressed his backing for the initiative: “Obviously, I massively support their efforts. I really hope they can get the support they need.”
He emphasised the wider context: “We’re completely aware of the challenges and pressures that venues and the hospitality industry face at the moment. If people want these venues to survive – and we all want them to thrive – people need to support them with their feet as well as their wallets.”
Cllr Bright concluded: “We want to see venues like Where Else? full and enjoyed by many people, so I wholly support them and hope they pull it off.”
