The Wedgewood Rooms

£1.57 billion rescue package for the Arts.

7th July 2020

Most of you will have seen the governments announcement of the rescue package for Culture announced on July 6th.

We were very pleased to see that music venues were included in the list of recipients.

We’d like to thank all of you for your support over the last few months. Without you sharing posts through social media, writing to our local MPs and generally making some noise on our behalf we would not have got this far. Your support for the #saveourvenues and #letthemusicplay campaigns are unlike anything we have ever seen. Again, for this we thank you, or as the Music Venues Trust said:

“We want to thank you, the live music fans. The hundreds of thousands of you that love these quirky, eccentric, beautiful temples to music and everything that music means to us as much as we do. You pushed, you posted, you wrote letters, you donated, you did everything you could to support the Save Our Venues campaign. Hundreds of grassroots music venues would already be permanently closed if it was not for you. Without people, you’re nothing”

We would also at this point like to thank Stephen Morgan MP, Penny Mordant MP, Caroline Dinenage MP, and Steve Pitt, Deputy Leader of Portsmouth City Council and Cabinet Member for Culture & Economic Development for writing on our behalf to The Secretary of State, and for sending emails of support in response to our correspondence.

It’s not over yet, there is still more work to be done. We understand some of you are sceptical about this news but we remain hopeful and look forward to seeing more specifics about how it will be distributed. The devil will truly be in the detail.

If we’re not happy about it we’ll be sure to let you know.

So be patient, be positive and watch this space . – Team Wedge x

Crowdfunder - #SaveOurVenues – Save The Wedge

June 2020

On April 27th 2020 we were advised to launch a Crowdfunder as part of a national initiative launched by Music Venue Trust to prevent the closure of hundreds of independent music venues. Ours is just one of many currently at risk due to the effects of Covid-19. This is something we have never done before in our almost 30 year history and something we agonised over for a long time. The idea of the save our venues campaign is to raise awareness and support from artists, the local music community and venue customers for each venue involved and to raise money to fill the shortfall left by having to close overnight.

Quite frankly we have been overwhelmed and humbled by the response to our appeal. We are amazed, not only by the financial support, but by the comments that accompanied it. We were taken aback by your kind words and vivid memories of our venue. It’s nice to know the venue means as much to you as it does to us. To receive this outpouring of love at a time of extreme uncertainty for everyone took us by surprise, and for this we are eternally grateful.

Thanks to your generosity we hit our initial target, and have so far prevented permanent closure of the Wedge. Your donations will be used to fill the shortfall between the government grants, the staff furlough scheme, and our actual monthly outgoings whilst closed. We have also supported some of the freelance staff who fell between the cracks of government help and are not eligible for grants, the job retention scheme or the self-employment support scheme from your donations.

Whilst we moved our entire Spring program into the Autumn, we are now beginning to reschedule those dates further to 2021. There is still a lot of uncertainty around when lockdown will be lifted and what that will mean for us. We anticipate and accept our sector will be one of the last to re -open but this will put a significant amount of financial strain and pressure on the buisness. We are committed to re-opening, but not until it is logistically safe and economically viable to do so. 

Any further support during this difficult time is greatly appreciated. Our Crowdfunder is still active, and we have recently introduced a #saveourvenues t-shirt reward. These t-shirts are subsidised by the Music Venues Trust with the full amount of the pledge going to the venue.

Thanks for your amazing support - Team Wedge x

Rescheduled shows

June 2020

We have had to reschedule many shows as a direct response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of them are in the process of being re-arranged for a second date.

Here is a summary of the current dates:

• B C Camplight - 22/04/2021
  
• BDRMM - 29/01/2021
• B Of The Bang - 27/02/2021
• Bull - 27/01/2021
• Cascade - 21/03/2021
• Dirty DC - 05/11/2021
• Fleetingwood Mac - 09/04/2021
• Flo & Joan - 02/05/2021
• Gangstagrass - 14/09/2021
• Golden Touch Festival - 05/06/2021
• Grace Petrie - 07/03/2021
• Joe Black - 02/03/2021
• Kate Bush-Ka - 21/05/2021
• Limehouse Lizzy - 12/02/2021
• Lou Saunders - 28/02/2021
• Mr Ben & The Bens - 11/04/2021
• Nerina Pallot - 11/03/2021
• Nova Twins - 21/04/2021
• Oasish - 04/06/2021
• Porridge Radio - 03/03/2021
• Rhythm Of The 90s - 26/03/2021
• Rhythm Of The 90s - 27/03/2021
• Rob Newman - 16/05/2021
• Show Of Hands - 07/04/2021
• Simon Evans - 08/11/2020
• Steve 'n' Seagulls - 08/02/2021
• Tankus The Henge - 03/04/2021
• Teenage Fanclub - 20/04/2021
• The Nightingales - 06/11/2021
• The Slow Readers Club - 29/03/2021
• The Smyths - 107/05/2021
• The Wendy James Band - 23/04/2021
• Therapy? - 06/05/2021
• Tim Burgess - 29/04/2021
• Total Stone Roses - 24/04/2021
• Urban Voodoo Machine - 08/05/2021