Donation protected
Many of you will have heard the news that The Imaginarium in its present location is going to have to cease operating as a venue. As a community interest company they are fully funded entirely from their bar/events.
The reason this has happened is that the planning department of the council have threatened enforced closure... The space is fully licensed and the landlords rented the property to them with a full brief on activities.
They had a similar battle on their hands last year, and managed to be able to continue after a long and very costly process. This time, however, it looks like they do not stand much of a chance.
In their own words:
‘A long while ago, somebody anonymously reported us for a planning breach (meaning we were using our building for something it should not be used for). We were rather baffled by this, because we wondered why 1) Our landlords would lease the property to us having a full, detailed description of our intended usage, and 2) Leeds City Council would grant us a licence that stipulates we can open until 4am and host live music, DJs, operate as a nightclub etc.
We put this to the council, and we then underwent a very costly process to change the usage terms of our building. Eventually, we were assured by our landlords and someone from the council that this had been unnecessary, and we were fine to continue.
This was a long while ago, and everything has been fine, and then this week we had a letter from the person in the council planning department who had originally contacted us starting the whole thing again.
Basically, we have 14 days to either cease operating or restart the process we went through last year :( So sadly, we will not be operating as a venue at Church Walk after the end of July. If we were to continue, we would have to begin the process of trying to fight this, and it will be at huge cost to ourselves, and we are unlikely to come out of it with the result we want.’
As a result of all of this, The Imaginarium are likely to be facing:
- The costs of a legal battle.
- The cost of being landed with a space which is not fit for them to use, unless they are able to terminate their lease.
- A new space - which Leeds very much needs - they have been the hub of the Leeds underground music scene over the past two and a half years and in the wake of several closures during that time.
I am therefore seeking support from the community they have built to come together to help them fight this battle and continue.
Any donation however big or small will be greatly appreciated and will help both this vital space go on, and on a wider scale, the Leeds music community.
If we could make at least £5000 (just £10 from 500 people), this would massively ease the immense pressure that they are facing right now!
Thanks and big love to you all! xxxx
Organizer
Charli Kelsall
Organizer