As a DJ for Kerrang!Radio and as a regular gig goer to the wonderful venue that is the Roadmneders - it is vital to the area and for musical entertainment that it remains open. the council has a duty to support this establishement and the entertainment services it provides not only to the area but for music fans across the country who travel and bring trade to Northampton. The last thing the people of Northampton and surrounding areas would want is the closure of virtually the only outlet for the eclectic live musical performances the venue provides. Northampton needs the Roadmenders - the Council must support it, to withdraw support would be nothing less than a disgrace.
Huge thanks and appreciation to Jon and his team for all the hard work and energy they have put into the venue. I do hope the County Council continue to fund this vital community venue.
We live out of the Northampton area but still travel to this great venue regularly and have done for a number of years. Don't close down another option for an evening of live music!
This doesn't actually affect me as i do not live in this area, however i have recently had the exact same problem in my hometown and i know it would be the most devistating thing for a place to lose a venue for so many reasons. there is no way that a venue should ever close down unless it actually has to do so because it's going to fall down i believe. keeping music alive is the one thing that can benefit so many people for so many reasons. Think of one person that doesn't like some form of music?! now you see the point i'm trying to make!
It would be a crying shame for the people of Northamptonshire if Roadmenders was to lose its funding. It has done so much to encourage diverse entertainment in Northampton and should continue to do so.
As such I am signing this petiotion in hope that funding will continue.
Dave Hammonds
Wefensleben, Germany.
Roadmender has been part of Northampton life for many years enabling up and coming local bands and well established musicians to entertain the populus. It would be a great shame if the town lost this unique music venue.
I can`t believe
that a council that
is supposed to be
religiously pro-
Northampton. Can
let a local venue
like the Roadmender
GO. It would appear
to me that this
shows the true and
yet sad reflection
in which the Town
of Northampton is
going down. I rest
my case. Good luck
Roadmender.
Yours sincerely
Miss Stephanie King
I think that this is yet another 'short sighted' plan to rake back money for Northampton Council.
This is such a valuable venue, culturally diverse, full of energy think again please!
The Roadmender is one of the few things which puts Northampton on the map. Without it what does Northampton have left? Some ballons one a year? Come on, you were young once. Close it and it will be more young people hanging around on the street every night. And is 60k really a lot to ask?
Roadmender is one of the few outlets for young people to express themselves in Northampton. Removing it would create all kinds of problems. Youth groups cannot hope to have the kind of impact that a venue like Roadmender does.
rm is great i love listening to the music there you get to socialise meet new people and if it wasent for rm i wouldent have anywhere to go because i live in the middle of nowhere.you cant close it down
if it wasnt for roadmender i wud be at home every week i wud be a chav....yes its true i wud be a chav...it horrible...dont you dare shut down roadmender or i willl urm......dunno do **** all, it great meet peoples what else is there to do on a friday night....ive meet great bands and gig and were not aloud to the ****ty sound haus because u have to be 16 or summin.....DONT SHUT DOWN ROADMENDER!!!
Please consider very carefully the broader implications that withdrawing funding could have.
You are currently investing not just in live music but in the quality of life and attractiveness of Northampton as a place to live and work, and ultimately to the desirability of companies to locate there.
If you withdraw funding and this venue closes you may save £60k but Northampton will lose a heck of a lot more.
I urge you not to bring on the closure of one of the few things that for many people puts Northampton on the map of the UK.
The Roadmender needs to stay. We need it to host all the Uni music events again. The council need to put money back into it to save its art and music culture.
Having been closely involved with the Roadmender in the early 90's, I would be very sad to see an organisation that has found its feet to be wound up. The County Council have a good record of support and I hope that they will onsider maintaining this now and infuture years
College gets University Status, what does Council do, attempt to close the main music venue for that age group.
How much have they spent re-vamping the Derngate ?Millions I should think, what the roadmender gets is peanuts.
My son goes to Fri-up for teenagers on Friday, Queue goes back up to sheep street & I have never seen any trouble & when I pick him up there is a good atmosphere, the council wants to invest the money in youth Groups ??? THey are when they support the roadmender, but have not taken the trouble to look!
The Roadmender is a crucial aspect of the cultural life of Northampton, particularly but not exclusively that of young people. In addition it is a major economic asset to the town. It brings in people from all over the East Midlands, London and further afield who then spend money on restaurants, taxis, shops etc in the town. Any withdrawl of funding would not only make Northampton a much duller place, it would also have significant knock on effects on a range of local businesses. Cities all over the world (Bilbao, Barcelona, Glasgow, Cardiff, Manchester to name but a few) are investing in cultural institutions like the Roadmender in order to drive their local economies. It is the way modern urban redevelopment works. A simple profit/loss estimate will show that support for the Roadmender shows a financial (as well as entertainment) profit for the people of Northampton.
Considering how much we pay in council tax, it is just typical of this council not to support something that is actually worthwhile. This town has deteriorated so badly, it needs to treasure the roadmender as one of the few positive features of Northampton.
The Roadmender has been a big part of my life for over 12 years now and I've lost count of the amazing bands I've seen there (Blur, Oasis, Faith No More to name a few).
It is absolutely criminal to even consider closing this place down. If it goes, it is the beginning of the end for the Northampton music scene. Preesumably everyone on the council wants everyone to listen to Phil Collins & Elton John.
The plan is that Northampton will be the size of Nottingham when the development is finished. Unfortunately though, the lack of facilities will make the place a laughing stock.
SAVE THE ROADMENDER!
I dont live in Northampton anymore but I remember the brilliant days and nights out i've had there. They still have a brilliant line up and I actually wish I was back home sometimes for the gigs. They all dayers were awesome and the venue is really nice. There are no other gig venues in Northampton that compare to it. If you get rid of it, there will be a huge hole in what Northampton has to offer.
I spent my whole teens and early twenties in this place.
I have great memories of watching oasis, primal scream Weller and The Bluetones here.
This place is great for young and old alike and it gives Northampton some culture and credibility.
The Mender puts Northampton on the map!! Without it Northampton would be nowheresville.
I live in Japan now but will perform hari kiri if it closes!!
Northants Council should remember that they are elected to provide services to all of the community. And part of that remit is to support the arts, including a valuable resource like the Roadmender.
Roadmender is not just a place for 'greebos' or 'chavs' to hang about in. It is also and arts, drama, comedy and exhibition venue. There are under 18 nights with the fri-ups and kaos evenings, both of which are NON-alcohol. It caters for all types of music with rock on the fri-up evenings and dance/club music in the kaos evenings with other single events happening on other nights. Plenty of bands play there before they make it big and many unsigned bands ply there first. Roadmender has it's own recording studio and also provides music lessons at the weekend. It also can be used as a place for conferences and meetings. Where is this money going to go if it is cancelled. No doubt into the pocket of some government official or into a war effort. If they do use it for younger people then why cancel the funding? Sure they can build leisure centres but that isn't everybodies thing and there are plenty of them already. Roadmender is the only club of its kind and the only club which provides for under 18s. There is the smoking issue but they can make a esignated smoking area and that may entice people to come in more. Maybe the council want us to hang around on street corners or something.
It is 3 years since I left Roadmender, after working there for 2 and a half years as an operations manager. The sheer depth and variety in programming makes this venue unique and unrivalled in a town such as Northampton. Whilst financial and management difficulties have plagued the venue, the withdrawl of funding does not constitute a solution. The attitudes and opinions expressed here, show the passion and high regard the town's people have for Roadmender. Listen up councillors! And best of luck to all those working there now, striving for the venue's success.
dont close down!!
it keeps kids out of trouble on a friday night i used to go so much!. WAT YA DOING? DO YOU WANT MORE STRRET CRIME? I think not! man be sensible about this. THE ROADMENDER is good for everybody. i've been to gigs there which have been bloody amazin. u need money ask the people of northants to rais it. and u will get it!!!
STAY OPENxx
Hey What THe Hell, Roadmender Was sadly to say when i was in the Day my home away from home on a Friday night - KEEP THIS PLACE OPEN IT MAKES PEOPLE HAPPY ! !
Northampton desperately needs to maintain what little it has in the way of arts venues. A venue of Roadmender's standard is vital to the ongoing renaissance of the town and the generation of a positive, lively, diverse and forward thinking image.
yet another council in england that is trying to take away the main place where youths come to listen and watch music.
i moved up from cornwall last year because the council there closed the rock club in the south west of cornwall. i came here to be in the middle of what i thought was a healthy music scene. about 600 000 working people live in northampton. i fail to see how 10pence per year per person in tax is too much.
roadmender is the only place that i go to hang out. pubs are full of yobs, clubs are full of yobs. we could all hang around on street corners but we dont. it annoys me that the more responsible teenagers are being penalized here. this isnt even mentioning the culture side of roadmender, with the exhibitions they hold
All other major towns and cities have such venues, so why shut the Roadmender down? It seems to me the council are heading in the wrong direction. I want to see more venues like Roadmender, not less!!
From Radiohead to Supergrass. From Kaiser Chief to Maximo Park.....I have had some of the best nights of my life at The Roady. It has helped define who I am today. Dont ruin Northampton by closing it PLEASE
As a current member of staff we must keep the Roadmender open -so that members of the great Northamptonshire public see and understand what we are/are trying to do. For instance Fri-up is for UNDER 18's -so they can have their OWN night with NO ADULTS running around and annoying them!!-We have an adult (un-signed Bands night) VERGE that runs monthly.
We dont sell any alcohol at under 18 events --for obvious reasons! This night and Kaos nights are for the under 18's so it is natural for us to Politely request no cameras etc. At the Roadmender we have tried hard to create a place where there is something for everyone..please let us continue to do this
