🎙️ 'Live music venues are struggling and we want to help keep them open'
Ahead of the town's third Music In May festival, this week we speak to Folkestone Music Town about the challenges facing the live music scene. Plus there's news in brief and what's on this week...
Folkestone Music Town: 'Live music venues are struggling and we want to help keep them open'
It is no secret that grassroots music venues are facing a challenging time. In 2024 the Music Venue Trust, which represents hundreds of venues across the country, found that 43.8% of those surveyed reported a loss in the previous 12 months. The MVT’s chief executive has said that “we need action not words” if the sector is to survive and thrive.
Here in Folkestone that action is being spearheaded by Folkestone Music Town, a community interest company set up with the aim of connecting music lovers, performers and venues to nurture and grow the town’s live music scene.
Ahead of next month’s Music In May festival, which will see around 200 musical events staged at venues big and small right across Folkestone, we sat down with two of the group’s board members to learn more about the challenges and opportunities facing the world’s first ‘music town’.
“We are here to support the music and creative community and the ecosystem of music,” explained Sophia Stutchbury, a singer, songwriter and vocal coach who—along with husband Tim Smith—runs the Seaview Studio in Dover Road.
“There are music venues closing way too frequently, which is heartbreaking. So it is really important that we support the venues in the town and that's what it's all about. We've got all these venues that are struggling, everyone needs a bit of extra money, and we want to keep them open.”
Like many sectors of the economy, the live music industry took a battering during the pandemic, when social distancing and strict rules governing public gatherings meant events were cancelled and venues shut down.
But rising costs and the cost-of-living crisis have meant that, even after Covid-related restrictions were lifted, the industry has still been facing significant challenges. The recent closure of The Chambers, perhaps the most iconic of Folkestone’s grassroots live music spots, is emblematic of the fact that even well-established venues enjoyed by generations of gig-goers remain at risk.
Tim, a music producer, explained to the Folkestone Dispatch how economic factors mean musicians and venues are being squeezed from all sides.
“The entertainment industry, probably more so music, is getting pinched from both ends,” he said. “Obviously venues are up against it because their costs are escalating to the point at which some of them have got to close. So it’s serious. And also the other end of the scale is the public. The public enjoy live music, but they either don't want to pay for it or can't afford to pay for it. So the venues haven't got money to pay artists, and the public aren't willing to pay to experience live music.
“So for those people that make and perform music, it's almost like no one wants to pay them. Everyone loves music and has a lovely time, and probably don't realise how intrinsic and important a part of their everyday life music is, but it seems like no one wants to pay for it. Which personally I think is somewhat criminal.
“The bigger picture, going back before the pandemic, the music industry was getting much, much harder. Since the inception of the internet, social media, and all that kind of stuff, the way music is consumed is very, very different to when we were teenagers. The live scene and the commercial side of music has become increasingly difficult.
“That's why it's such a tough industry to survive in at the moment and why so many music venues are going under, and why so many artists that really ought to be making music full time have had to return to employment to make ends meet. I think that the impact of that is noticeable on the music scene globally.”
Folkestone Music Town grew out of the successful campaign to have Folkestone formally recognised as the world’s first ‘music town’, a status that was conferred in 2019. It was a recognition not only of the strength of the local music scene today, but also of the town’s remarkable heritage when it comes to hosting performances by some of the biggest names in the business.
Last year the Folkestone Rock & Roll Wall of Fame was unveiled as a commemoration of the talent—much of it home-grown—that has graced stages in the town down through the decades, including Pink Floyd, Thin Lizzy and Motörhead.
Now the mission of Folkestone Music Town is focused on connection and collaboration, bringing together performers, venues and music-lovers in the hope of strengthening the town’s status as a home of live music.
Sophia said: “There were a lot of people doing a lot of similar things in the town that didn't know each other, and you absolutely should collaborate, you should meet each other, you should share the love. So that was the whole point of Folkestone Music Town.
“A lot of people said Folkestone shouldn’t be a music town, why has it got the status of the world's first music town, nothing goes on here. But actually it does, you just don't know about it because everybody's in their own little world doing all these things separately, which is just sacrilege when we've got this status.
“Our vision was to join everyone together, all support one another, it's not a competition, you're supposed to share the love.”
The Music In May festival, which is organised by Folkestone Music Town and was staged for the first time in 2023, is designed to showcase the breadth and depth of the local music scene. And with around 80% of the events next month being free to attend, it is hoped people will get out there and experience what the town has to offer.
“Just go and listen, go and support,” Sophia said. “There are a few ticketed events, where you've got to pay for bigger artists, but a lot of venues are taking chances in May because they've got the extra promotional support from us.”
Tim added: “Although the music industry in general is an extremely challenging place, I think there's a lot of health around the local music scene. There’s an increasing number of operators that have got the right attitude, and there's definitely that feeling of cohesion, collaboration, cooperation. That's exactly what's gonna win out. We need to keep doing that, and that's what the whole Folkestone Music Town thing represents.
“We’re a community of people that are in the same spot, suffering the same kind of issues, and if we help each other out then we should be alright.
“We want people to enjoy music, have fun, enjoy Folkestone, and in doing so they're going to support local business which also supports local employment. So everything works nicely from that point of view. We want to help people, not just musicians and venues, but we also want to help the public have a lovely time and enjoy Folkestone.”
You can find out more about Folkestone Music Town here. Full details of what’s on during the Music In May festival can be found here.
Share this story with a music lover in your life by hitting the button below…
News in brief
🌊 Spring beach management, which will see around 142,000 tonnes of shingle moved, is due to start this week along the stretch of coast between Fisherman’s Beach in Hythe and Folkestone Harbour. The work, which is expected to take up to eight weeks to complete, helps to shield more than 3,000 homes and businesses from flooding. A spokesman for the district council said: “It’s all about further reducing the risks of flooding and coastal erosion and, ultimately, safeguarding our residents.”
⚖️ A suspected arsonist is due to appear at Canterbury Crown Court after a number of vehicles were set alight—including a campervan in Sandgate in which the owner was sleeping at the time. Michael Harragan, of Gladstone Road in Folkestone, was arrested and charged with arson with intent to endanger life, arson in relation to six vehicles, drink driving, and assault of an emergency worker. The case against the 54-year-old accused is due to be heard at the crown court on May 12.
🏠 Plans for the construction of a three-storey block of six flats on land to the rear of Earlscliffe Mews on Shorncliffe Road were approved by councillors at a meeting of the district council’s planning committee last week. The majority of public responses to the planning application had opposed the development, but the committee voted 7-1 in favour of the plans, with one abstention.
🚧 Work has begun on a project to freshen up Folkestone town centre which will see almost £20 million of ‘levelling up’ funding spent on improvements. A central element of the scheme will involve the relocation of the bus station from its current location in Bouverie Square, with new bus stops being sited along Shellons Street. A play area is set to form part of what the council describes as Folkestone’s new ‘green heart’ and views are being sought on what play equipment to include. You have until 4pm on Monday, April 28, to complete a short survey at folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/tcadventure.
🏠 Plans have been submitted to the district council to transform an unoccupied building in Dover Road into what developers describe as a “luxury” seven-bedroom house in multiple occupation. The proposals would see the former Shupria Indian takeaway and a flat above it redeveloped. A planning statement submitted in support of the application states: “The change of use is appropriate for the site and will contribute positively to the area, bringing a currently vacant building back into beneficial use with high-quality accommodation.”
⚽ Folkestone Invicta’s final home match of their Isthmian League Premier Division campaign ended in a 2-1 win for the hosts over Lewes. Invicta fell behind to a Marcus Sablier strike for the visitors, but an own goal and a Joe Turner finish saw the Stripes take all three points. Invicta travel to Cray Valley PM for their final game of the season on Saturday, April 26.
Do you have a story you think we should be covering in a future edition of the Folkestone Dispatch? Get in touch!
What’s on this week
📖 Author Rosie Garland will be appearing at The Folkestone Bookshop in Tontine Street on Friday, April 25, to celebrate the launch of her latest short story collection, Your Sons and Your Daughters are Beyond. The writer, who is also a singer with post-punk band The March Violets, will be talking about her new work, reading from the book and signing copies. Tickets are £5, which also acts as a deposit towards any books purchased on the night. You can find out more about the event—which starts at 6.30pm—here.
🎸 Folkestone-based singer-songwriter Lucy May Walker will be hosting her monthly writers round at the Music Workshop in Folkestone on Sunday, April 27, from 4-6pm. The event is inspired by the writers rounds of Nashville, which see a number of performers on stage at the same time, taking turns to play their songs and tell the stories behind them. These sessions have proved popular in the past, often selling out, so grab your ticket as soon as you can here.
📜 Folkestone Museum curator Coralie Clover will be giving a talk on Saxon Shore Forts at the AGM of the Folkestone Research & Archaeology Group on Friday, April 25. Membership of the group is currently free and members have the opportunity to participate in digs at the Roman villa site on the East Cliff. The AGM is being held at Folkestone Museum and starts at 6.30pm.
🎙️ Singer-songwriter Nick Lawrence will be bringing a mix of traditional and contemporary folk music to Keppels on Friday, April 25. His compositions evoke images of centuries gone by, be that wassailing in the winter, the re-telling of Viking raids in Kent, or tales of spurned love. Nick’s latest EP, Growing Up, Growing Old or Dying, is now available to stream on Spotify. The gig this Friday starts at 8pm.
🗣️ You can learn more about the town’s lost heritage by joining the New Folkestone Society for its Walk and Talk: Folkestone’s Lost Heritage walking tour on Saturday, April 26. The walk, which should last between two and three hours, is being led by Mark Hourahane, a local historian. He will explore the town’s architecture to give you an appreciation of the heritage that has been retained and the buildings that remain at risk. Booking for the tour, which starts at 2pm, is essential. Tickets can be found here.
Do you have an event in Folkestone you would like to promote in a forthcoming edition of the Dispatch? Send details to us and we’ll help spread the word!
Thank you to our founding members
A very special thank you to the following founding members, who have made contributions above and beyond the standard monthly or annual subscription, for giving their backing to the Folkestone Dispatch:
Tina Keller
Jeanette Hoggatt
Maxim PR
Chris Williams
Dan Cork
Ray Johnson
If you are in a position to contribute as a paid subscriber, thank you! By doing so you will help support a new voice in Folkestone and make it possible to expand the Folkestone Dispatch in future. Ultimately this newsletter’s long term success or failure is entirely in the hands of its readers.
That’s all from me this week. I am delighted to say that we continue to see our readership grow, in large part because many of you have taken the time to share what we are doing with friends and family. If you have enjoyed the newsletter this week then please do tell someone else who may be interested in stories about life in Folkestone about the Folkestone Dispatch. It will really help to make this venture sustainable if we can reach more people.
Next week’s newsletter will be in your inboxes at the same time next Wednesday.
All the best, Rhys
Great start, Rhys 👍
Love this start bruv. Keep it up.