UK Decay

[Ian Lee]

I don't know whether you've heard but the Roadmender club in underrated (true !) Northampton, UK is under threat of closure. The council are considering withdrawing its funding. It'd be good if you could sign the online petition.

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/futureroadmender

Who remembers seeing UK Decay- and many others - here ? Who still goes ? A great gig there on 21 October 2005 by The Fall, my correspondent has told me..
_________________
In a world of universal deceit, to tell the truth is a revolutionary act. Surely it is the way to progress- after all, if one tells the truth, one is sure, sooner or later, to be found out.

[Khephren]

Heh, I still go there. Saw new model army there last month supported by Mark Burgess (played lots of chameleons stuff).

Roadmender proplem was that they cater for 'art council' style stuff, and friday night is under 18's. So the kids ger arseholed on mad dog outside, pay a couple of quid to get in, and puke everywhere. If they did an adult night, they'd get door takings and bar takings. So the management are not doing themselves any favours. Still, things are looking up: the damned and horrorpops are playing soon.

[The real Dee Generate]

sign the petition so the capt can play santa

[paulrabjohn]

well i don't think it was the best gig or best venue i ever saw , but it was certainly the loudest. pop will eat itself at roadmenders in about 1992 , i went with 3 hardened gig goers and 2 left after a couple of songs, i've never heard anytihng so loud. it was pretty good once you got used to it , but i never went back there. was it always like that ?

always sad to see one of these old venues going. good luck with the petition. p

[paulb]

Will be such a shame if this great venue goes to the wall. It has beena perfect place to catch bands on the last tour before they start playing carling appolo type places. I have seen the majic numbers and the rakes there recently and those herberts Hard-Fi were there a coyple of weeks ago. And they do have great adult club nights including the weekender social (often on a Friday) and The Buzz and The Shakedown and they have had a couple of NME club nights as well recently. I am sure it will stay open, I cant be that far off being a self suporting venue that doesnt need council funding. A bit a sponsorship from carlsberg, a quid on the tickets, 50p on (a very cheap) beer and they should start to cover their costs, I hope so anyway.
_________________
were still living with the english fear

[Ian Lee]

The Roadmenders has been lost- see http://www.nme.com/news/nme/21676

Northampton locals will find out in time the consequences of these actions.

It must be realised that the authorities (councils, art councils, other fund giving bodies) have absolutely no interest in establishing then developing amentities, facilities, venues, halls, clubs, for people- most of whom they get money from in the first place from Council Tax, donations, subscriptions, lottery tickets, etc) unless THEY can make money from it. FUCK THEM. In the whole scheme of things, these places do not cost much money.
_________________
In a world of universal deceit, to tell the truth is a revolutionary act. Surely it is the way to progress- after all, if one tells the truth, one is sure, sooner or later, to be found out.

[werewolf]

The 'Nothing-to-do-Generation'

An interesting BBC article about the youth of Northampton,
Hoodies, Chav's Goth's & Greebo's hanging out on street
corners cus they 'aint got nothing to do'! now the Roadmenders
has shut down.
The Nothing to do Generation

"Non-alcoholic gigs

Another change for the worse in Northampton is the closure of the
Roadmender music venue, which played host to high-profile acts as
well as workshops for the young.

Particularly popular were its non-alcoholic gigs for younger people.
Many of them will now find themselves at venues where alcohol is
being served.

The Arts Council withdrew its £110,000 a year grant, saying that the
venue had failed to develop an adequate business plan and was not
a sustainable venture. This prompted the county council to pull its
£58,000 grant."
from the BBC website

It seems really unfair that because some administrator f**cked up
on getting the business plan right, that Northampton and all its
youth lost such a fine venue!

Music & particularly rock orientated (in all its forms) has earnt this
country(UK) Billion's in the last few decades. It has also kept the
countries profile riding high in the Global Village.
The Youth whether we like it or not bear the responsibility in an
increasingly competitive world to keep this flag flying.
What chances we give or take away from them will given time
impact upon all of our fortunes!
Where would the Beatles be without the 'Cavern Club'?
It is a disgrace that the Roadmenders has been shut down!

_________________

Share this article with Facebook, Myspace, Twitter & more

Visit The new UK Decay Communities

[bonzi]

sadly the council closed it down, lots of people lost there jobs, i had dj'd there 2 years, with various bands. yet the council wasted £80,000 pounds on YOT, young offenders team, kids not turning up to community service. (chavs).
the car park opposite the roadmender closes at 8pm and leaves the lights on all night, (so they can afford to fund the electric bill).
remember going there since 1979 on wards it closed and opened.
i went to the town hall meeting, its run by old people who should be retired. many excuses were made. someone on the council son got beaten up one night there, (big deal fights happen all over northampton).
no reason to hold a grudge.
_________________
hello.

[Spike]

Sorry to highjack your road menders thread,
Bonzi is that bonzi from Aylesbury,if it is this is Paul from Portland, used to hang around with the Weymouth with, Steve R , Jerry W.
Cheers
Spike
Ps i remember the road menders bunkin in to see the Exploited and Chelsea. Also Anti Paste.
Happy Days

[bonzi]

paul keep in touch. bonzi@fsmail.net

i remember us getting in the roadmender for free, remember charlie harper opening the window and got a few of us in. security was better nowadays.
when i moved up to northampton the roadmender still had sweat dripping from the ceiling. it later had air conditioning. which was good as i ended up djing there. in the 90s i saw bands like manic street preachers, terrorvision, whatever punk bands played.
i had been a dj at bass clef in northampton, we had gbh and various bands play.
so hows things i keep in touch with jerry in weymouth.
i lost contact with many people, as my daughter had cancer at age 5 so that took priority over everything. shes ok now. 17 years old.
_________________
hello.