Liverpool's Cavern Club among venues to receive part of £257m coronavirus fund
12 October 2020, 11:52
The famous Liverpool venue is among the clubs and venues to receive a lifeline from the government's Cultural Recovery Fund.
Liverpool’s Cavern Club is among the venues which will receive a financial lifeline from the government amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
As reported by NME, the iconic venue - which is known for hosting The Beatles' early gigs - is joined by the likes of Leeds' The Brudenell Social Club and 1,385 museums, theatres and other organisations to benefit from a £257m grant across England as part of the Culture Recovery Fund.
The Liverpool landmark, which was previously at risk of total closure, will receive £525,000 of the fund in order to record performances from local musicians, which will then be streamed online to provide more employment opportunities for local technical staff in the area.
The Brudenell - which has played host to the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, The Cribs, Franz Ferdinand and many more - will also receive £220,429 to host livestreams as well as a free weekly event.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: "This funding is a vital boost for the theatres, music venues, museums and cultural organisations that form the soul of our nation.
"It will protect these special places, save jobs and help the culture sector’s recovery."
VIDEO: Paul McCartney Tells Off Crowd For Phones At Cavern Club Gig
The positive news comes after it was previously reported that the Cavern Club may be forced to close its doors for good.
In August, city's Mayor Joe Anderson told The Liverpool Echo: "The fact that the world-famous Cavern could close forever because of COVID-19 should bring home to the Government how much our hugely treasured music industry is in peril.
This virus has caused unimaginable pain and grief but it's proving to be an existential threat to our cultural scene.
"The prospect of losing a national jewel like the Cavern is a horrible scenario for all concerned, be they Beatles fans, music lovers and above all those whose livelihoods depend on it."
The original club at 7 Mathew Street played host to not only The Beatles, but also local acts Gerry And The Pacemakers, Billy J Kramer and Cilla Black, plus bands from other parts of the UK including The Kinks, The Rolling Stones, The Who and The Yardbirds
It was later demolished in 1973, when the original cellar venue was closed and the buildings above were demolished to make way for the new Merseyrail project.
In the 1980s, an attempt was made to excavate the original cellar, but the location was found to be structurally unsafe, so the area was redeveloped as the Cavern Walks shopping centre, with a new Cavern Club at 8-12 Mathew Street and Abbey Road pub.
Watch Paul McCartney Recreates The Beatles' Iconic Abbey Road Cover
