Campaign launched to save town’s leading music centre

8:49am Saturday 3rd July 2010

By David Roberts

TOWNSPEOPLE are rallying round to try to save a popular music centre which could close because of credit difficulties.

The Forum music centre, in Darlington, looks likely to shut in September because it has been unable to obtain an unsecured loan from the council for £80,000.

The loan would mean the centre, which is used by thousands of people every month, could access £110,000 of funding from regional development agency One North East.

But in the current financial climate, the council said it is unable to offer the loan without it being secured After news of the impending closure became public yesterday, a Facebook campaign attracted more than 1,000 members, a petition is being organised and a fundraising gig and CD are also planned.

It provides low-cost rehearsal and recording space and, as a live venue, attracts bands from across the country.

Although it is a private company, Mr Cox has always run it as a social enterprise.

Plans were under way for the Forum to become part of Humantics, a community interest company, whose board members include Mr Cox, Peter Barron, the Editor of The Northern Echo, David Heaton, the former principal of Queen Elizabeth Sixth College, and Allison McKay, who ran a talent agency in Darlington.

Humantics would operate on a not-for-profit basis with surplus money being used to expand the arts in Darlington and the surrounding area.

Plans were also in hand for the Forum to become the first base in the country for a Yamaha Music and Technical Skills Centre, and also the centre for a community interest company’s regional office.

Before this could happen, an £80,000 secured loan which Mr Cox had with the council would need to be transferred to Humantics.

However, the council has said although it can provide the loan on a secured basis, with Mr Cox’s house as security should Humantics default on repayment, it is unable to provide an unsecured loan.

Mr Cox said: “This is not just about Dave Cox and the Forum These buildings are used by all sorts of people, particularly young people, from all sectors of society, across all generations and genres, everything from brass bands to punk rock.

“We’ve never cost the taxpayer anything. I’ve put many thousands of pounds of my own money into this.

“This loan that will be repaid with interest and will also trigger £110,000 of funding.

“The council has said it can’t risk an unsecured loan, but can it risk us closing?”

The centre attracts between 3,000 and 4,000 people every month and some of the bands to have played include leading punk band 999, fronted by Nick Cash, as well as ska bands Bad Manners, featuring Buster Bloodvessel, The Beat and Neville Staple from ska band the Specials.

Martin Wood, was one of the founders of New Blood Live, a young people’s music charity, which holds gigs every fortnight for 250 people featuring local bands.

He said: “I know from my own children, and from the young people, that there’s nowhere else in Darlington for them to go. Young bands need somewhere to play “Before the Forum came along there was no music scene to speak of in Darlington, now there must be about 100 bands in town.”

Darlington MP Jenny Chapman, who also helped set up New Blood Live, said: “It would be sad to see the Forum close and I hope that the council can consider this decision in the context of the support that it gives to leisure and culture in Darlington.

“I’m not aware that a formal decision has been made on this and I’ll be seeking a meeting with the leader of the council to try to establish for sure what the council’s intention is.”

Council leader, Councillor John Williams said: “The council has worked closely with The Forum providing funding, premises, specialist advice and support with obtaining additional funding.

“I personally regret that the national financial climate makes it impossible for the council to do more. We are keen to continue to work with David and others to see if a model for a community interest company can be made to work in the future and see the revival of the venue.”