00:00So, we're here today to celebrate the music venue's properties purchase of Le Pub, which
00:08means that we own the building here and that we can work with Le Public Space, who run
00:13Le Pub at the moment, and ensure that they have a sure tenancy for years to come and
00:18to ensure that this space always remains a grassroots music venue.
00:22Well, this is the fifth venue to be bought by Music Venue Properties, which is a new
00:26community benefits share society that we created by Music Venue Trust, and the concept
00:31is pretty simple.
00:33We want music fans to own the freeholds of buildings like this, Le Pub, because that's
00:37the best way to protect them, secure them for the future, and make sure they're always
00:41theirs.
00:42Securing the future of Le Pub makes it seem like the buyer itself was suffering, but in
00:45reality, Le Pub is usually busy, and according to the manager, Sam, the business is doing
00:49fine.
00:50It's outside factors, like landlords, whose main focus is the bottom line, rather than
00:55the grassroots venues they're homing, that cause the biggest issues in the music community.
00:59We're doing fine as a business, you know, we pay the bills.
01:03It's all about security and having a benevolent landlord, there's a phrase, benevolent landlord.
01:10I think having the future of the building secured is, it's just one less thing to worry
01:16about.
01:17Running a grassroots music venue is really difficult, especially in today's financial
01:20climate, but knowing that the landlord's not suddenly going to put the rent up or sell
01:24the building, or build some flats, it gives you a real sense of relaxation, and one thing
01:30less to stress about.
01:32These kinds of venues are so important to people, and those involved with Le Pub and
01:35those in the Music Venue Trust are both excited by what it means.
01:39You know, I think last year there was a record amount of venues closed, and these places
01:43are just more than a place that you go and watch a band, this is a place that brings
01:46communities together, it's where culture thrives, where new music is created.
01:52You know, it's not just about the culture, it's about the community element.
01:56I think the fact that we are staying open and the fact that we have this security now
02:03means that we don't have to worry in the future of like, are we going to close, are we going
02:07to have to stop doing gigs, which is ultimately something that we would never want to do.
02:11We are a music venue at the end of the day, and I feel like we are a pillar of the community
02:16in Newport.
02:17Le Pub is like hundreds of venues all across Wales and the rest of the UK who have been
02:22at risk, but unlike the others, that risk has now been washed away for this place.
02:26Others aren't so lucky, and Mark from Music Venues Properties wants to help more venues
02:31in the future.
02:32These venues aren't respected enough across the country, and they certainly haven't been
02:35respected enough by the music industry, but we're there now, and we're doing the big things
02:40now.
02:41And this is a really big thing.
02:42Just imagine if we could do this in 100 places or 200 places across the country, we'd have
02:46a really solid, grassroots touring circuit that everybody knows.
02:51These are not-for-profit places, these reinvest in artists, they invest in their communities,
02:56their gathering spots, they're where live music happens.
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