Brighton’s Brunswick Appeals for Financial Lifeline

A Crowdfunder scheme to save The Brunswick venue in Brighton & Hove, home to the hugely popular weekly jazz jam, from closure has been launched as part of a national initiative launched by the Music Venues Trust to save independent music venues that have been shut with zero income due to the Covid-19 virus.

The Brunswick pub has two dedicated music rooms with PA, lighting and an in-house sound engineer and presents music seven nights a week on both stages. It was also host to the big Jazz for Europe benefit concert last August with Claire Martin, Arun Ghosh and Camilla George.

The jazz jam is the biggest in the south of England outside of London and was started eight years ago by guitarist Paul Richards who hosts a different top flight rhythm section each week made up from top London and south-east names. It attracts a wide roster of guest instrumentalists and singers as well as an audience often in three figures.

“It’s a vibrant and important focal point each week with an eclectic mix of jazz musicians, from local top players, students and visiting high profile artists,” says Richards. “It’s supported by the local community with a packed venue each week, making it the heart of the local jazz scene and it’s our 10^th birthday in 2020.” As a number of venues have found, getting access to support money is extremely hard to come by despite government headlines. The Brunswick says it is, “not eligible for government grants as it’s a larger venue, there have been hold ups with furlough pay and business interruption loans are like hen’s teeth”.

To help the Brunswick ride out the crisis and reopen as a vital music hub go to www.crowdfunder.co.uk/savethebrunswick