Success has been struck on the road to save Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club (BGWMC), with the club being designated an Asset of Community Value by Tower Hamlets Council. This protection grants the local community a “Right to Bid” if the building goes up for sale, taking the campaign to Save BGWMC closer to achieving its goal of keeping the iconic East London club open as a performance venue.
Tower Hamlets Council’s decision comes in response to an application by the community group Friends of Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club, which was supported by Equity, the performing arts and entertainment trade union. After the owners of BGWMC indicated they would sell the club, leaving it at risk of closure, Equity launched a campaign to save it, setting up a petition that has attracted more than 12k signatures, and organising a rally attended by over hundred people last Monday.
The decision grants Friends of BGWMC up to six months to fundraise for the bid. Equity is currently in negotiation with the owners of BGWMC to extend this amount of time for fundraising. They have expressed a willingness to allow a community purchase.
However, the fight is not over. Raising the funds to purchase BGWMC for the community is a huge task. Friends of Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club is a brand-new cooperative association, supported by 39 individuals registered in the local area. In the coming weeks, the group plan to launch a campaign to buy the club as a community asset in shared ownership. They are working towards setting up a community shares strategy that will allow everyone to invest and have an equal say over the future of the club.
The group is being closely advised by Principle Six and the Community Shares Company who were behind the hugely successful Sister Midnight campaign (and have raised £21m for the acquisition of community assets across the UK).
A dedicated Instagram page has also been set up for the Save BGWMC campaign: @savebgwmc.
Nick Keegan Equity Variety Organiser says: “The decision to protect Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club as an Asset of Community Value is fantastic news and a crucial step towards saving the club. The London Borough of Tower Hamlets has rightly recognised BGWMC for what it is – a pillar of London’s nightlife ecosystem, a vital workplace for Equity members, and an important part of the queer and local community.
“The response to this campaign so far has been phenomenal. Everyone who signed the petition, turned up to the rally, or spread the word has played their part in this positive outcome. However, the campaign has not been won yet – raising the funds to purchase BGWMC for the community will be a mammoth task. Equity is delighted to support Friends of BGWMC in their campaign and we’ll be announcing ways people can support the fundraising effort. Watch this space.”
