Left to right: Peter Cornforth (MVP board member), Norman Cook (Fatboy Slim), Thomas Evrenos (Pipeline operator). Credit: Lee London for MVT

The Pipeline in Brighton has become the latest grassroots music venue to enter permanent community ownership through the Own Our Venues campaign, a campaign that aims to tackle one of the live music industry’s most problematic issues – who owns the building. The Pipeline’s new ownership marks the tenth music venue saved by the campaign.

Music Venue Properties has now completed the venue’s acquisition, meaning that the property is no longer exposed to the uncertainties it could continue to face on the commercial property market. Rather than actually operating the venues it acquires itself, the Community Benefit Society purchases the buildings and provides operators with affordable rents, support with property maintenance, and more solid long-term security.

The new purchase of The Pipeline is a preventative move that’s designed to stop any redevelopment, eviction, and any unsustainable rent increase. While The Pipeline hadn’t already publicly announced that it was facing immediate closure, the acquisition allows security further down the line. This stability is vital for venues, as according to the campaign, 90% of the UK’s grassroots music venues are tenants. This leaves many open and vulnerable to redevelopment, making them unable to plan solidly and securely for the years ahead.

The Pipeline has long established itself as a key venue for Brighton’s alternative community, as well as a platform for emerging artists. Its operator, Thomas Evrenos, said the acquisition would allow the team to concentrate on what matters – its programming, the musicians that play there, and the community that’s been built around the venue. No longer do they have to worry about the instabilities that accompany tenanting a venue with external commercial property ownership, and instead the team can focus on putting on shows and supporting grassroots talent in a space where people rightly feel they belong.

Brighton resident Norman Cook – better known as Fatboy Slim – has also invested in Music Venue Properties. He argued that the wider industry continues to remain dependent on these vital independent venues, and called on other well-established artists, as well as fans, to support the campaign.

He said, “Our thriving music business needs grassroots venues. The next Coldplay or Radiohead need places to hone their skills and find their audience. The grassroots venues continually struggle in the current financial climate and landlords are not always their friend. Community ownership means they pay fair rent and have security, knowing their venue will not suddenly be turned into a block of flats. MVP is ethical investment that protects venues but also has a sound business model. I have invested a substantial sum and I am proud to be able to help protect the nurturing environments for future musicians & DJs. I urge anyone to join me, whether you are a successful musician wanting to give something back to the lower rungs of the food chain or a music fan who wants to feel part of the wonderful community. It’s not a donation, it’s an investment in the future of our wonderful music industry."

Watch the video from when he visited The Pipeline here.

While Cook’s involvement is particularly high-profile, the campaign’s central idea is to be a collective. Supporters can purchase community shares in Music Venue Properties, which help it acquire buildings and place them into their portfolio – nicknamed “The National Trust for Music Venues”.

Since its launch in 2022, Music Venue Properties says that it’s raised almost £7 million through community investments, as well as from backing from organisations such as Arts Council England, Figurative and the UK Government. As well as this, more than 2,500 people have invested in the organisation, including Squeeze co-founder Glenn Tilbrook, Terry and Lesley Marshall of Marshall Amplification, singer-songwriter Katie Melua, and the latest UK Prime Minister, Andy Burnham.

The organisation has also secured £1 million through the UK Government’s Creative Foundations Fund. This money will be used for renovations and improvement works across its now ten-strong venue portfolio.

While community ownership can’t solve every mounting pressure facing grassroots music and UK venues, it can remove the threat of unaffordable rent increases, sudden redevelopment plans, and indifferent landlords.

The Pipeline joins currently protected venues: The Snug in Atherton, The Ferret in Preston, Le Pub in Newport, The Bunkhouse in Swansea, The Booking Hall in Dover, The Croft in Bristol, The Joiners in Southampton, Northern Guitars in Leeds and Gut Level in Sheffield. 

You can learn more about Music Venue Properties and find out how to invest here.

Samantha Hall

@_samanthahall_

Image: Lee London for MVT

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