Base Camp to close

Linny said:
Plenty of people support local businesses and venues but the finances only stretch so far in an area that is far from affluent at the best of times, never mind during a major cost of living crisis.

A few have already mentioned being disappointed with the venue, and the location, and I don’t think it’s been well advertised. I went to see The Wedding Present there but hadn’t heard of the place when a mate asked if I fancied it and I am a keen local gig goer.

Off the top of my head there is a fair few music venues putting on good shows to compete with….Westgarth, Town Hall, Georgian, Globe, Ku, story tellers, empire/theatre, waiting room, the arc, NE Volume Bar.

Seems a bit odd to criticise people who want to go see a once in a blue moon reunion of a brilliant band and link that with the demise of a local venue when many of them will be local gig goers anyway.
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Half the shows around here are dead. The multi-venue festivals do well, but the local shows tend to be hit and miss, especially since Covid, which is a shame because there’s some incredible talent around here.
 
clay said:
Disappointing, but it's an awful location. Will be a blessing if they can move somewhere else. Not as if there's a shortage of empty buildings in Boro.
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Awful location - the town centre - says a lot about the town centre!! Surely if there is regeneration then it wont be awful for long?
 
Linny said:
Plenty of people support local businesses and venues but the finances only stretch so far in an area that is far from affluent at the best of times, never mind during a major cost of living crisis.

A few have already mentioned being disappointed with the venue, and the location, and I don’t think it’s been well advertised. I went to see The Wedding Present there but hadn’t heard of the place when a mate asked if I fancied it and I am a keen local gig goer.

Off the top of my head there is a fair few music venues putting on good shows to compete with….Westgarth, Town Hall, Georgian, Globe, Ku, story tellers, empire/theatre, waiting room, the arc, NE Volume Bar.

Seems a bit odd to criticise people who want to go see a once in a blue moon reunion of a brilliant band and link that with the demise of a local venue when many of them will be local gig goers anyway.
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I didn't intend to criticise anyone, and I'll apologise now to anyone I did offend.

It was more of a sweeping statement at those people who don't use local venues regularly but will go to see Jarvis Cocker and can find the money to go to Glastonbury but then moan when they can't get tickets for Sam Fender or Chrissie Hynde at the Georgian despite rarely ever setting foot in the place.

That's a long list of venues you've listed and there's more promoters putting on shows in other venues as well, Disgraceland for example. I'll tell you from experience its too many for an area like Middlesbrough to support in the current financial climate. As someone else alluded to in this thread some venues and/or promoters are going to go the journey.
 
Corcaigh_the_Cat said:
We were only there once and weren't particularly impressed with what was in offer as far as refreshments went, nor the venue itself.

Hopefully they'll find a space to settle into properly and develop as their own, somewhere more central perhaps.

Exchange Square is next to the railway station but it's hardly central to Boro's nightlife.
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Was there for the shirt show. No beer on tap and £4 for a tin of pewky brown.
 
the_holgate_roof said:
I don’t know, with Bloom opening in Spenceleys and Muddler set to move into the old Kalinka Bar, I think this may start a bit of a regeneration down that bottom end of town, just hope it doesn’t effect my cheap pre-match pint.
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Kalinka Bar.. was it just me? A bar named after a mucky bottom.. alway put me off.
Never had a look inside.. I presume it looked like uncle alberts!
 
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My nephew works there and said it’s due to the running costs going up massively. Anyone who has been there will have seen it’s been built up and run on a shoestring budget. They just can’t afford to keep the place going or give it the renovation it needs.

I really don’t mean to criticise the place though. The owners have done a fantastic job with the resources they have had. They have been a real benefit to that part of town and for local bands and artists. It’s a shame it’s been a bit isolated. I think they would have had a lot more customers if it had been facing the square and if the development of that part of town had been completed earlier. Hopefully someone else can come in with the skills and investment to make a real success of it.
 
SilentProf said:
My nephew works there and said it’s due to the running costs going up massively. Anyone who has been there will have seen it’s been built up and run on a shoestring budget. They just can’t afford to keep the place going or give it the renovation it needs.

I really don’t mean to criticise the place though. The owners have done a fantastic job with the resources they have had. They have been a real benefit to that part of town and for local bands and artists. It’s a shame it’s been a bit isolated. I think they would have had a lot more customers if it had been facing the square and if the development of that part of town had been completed earlier. Hopefully someone else can come in with the skills and investment to make a real success of it.
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They don't own the building. It is council owned. It is actually the same building as that recently vacated by Teesside Archives. Two halves of a whole. At present there is an interested buyer, he is talking about opening a Stack container market at the rear. Possibly.
The whole development of Exchange Square is seeing loads of public and private investment conserving the Victorian buildings and returning the area to offices and restaurant quarter.
I really hope that public spaces will be left for venues and events.
Base Camp worked so hard over the past few years to breath life into a then run down part of town. I did what I could to help bring in collectors like Erimus and Boro Shirt Museum to hopefully make Boro match days even more memorable. Those Saturdays were really suucessful from my point of view. Recent gigs have sold out too. But the building is such a massive commitment with absolutely no security of tenancy. It must be such a drain and such a strain.
The guys in charge have a long and distinguished track record at the Arena, Cornerhouse, Arc, Town Hall, Alex. Auditorium, Yarm etc etc.
I hope Graham and Carmel can get some well earned rest and feel able to return programming events because we so need their creativity and drive and commitment.
 
I played there with my band a few months ago. From the bar staff right through to the sound engineers, they provided a quality service.

Was quite a nice touch when we were shown to the upstairs band room and discovered a fridge full of cans of Red Stripe.

Was nice to be paid cash in hand straight after the show as well.
 
Such a shame. Dont live in the area anymore but it had become my go to place pre game. Took a couple of Blackburn mates there the other weekend. They thought it was great. Sad that places like this are finding it impossible to keep going in the current climate
 
Someone mentioned the Captain Cook building, which was a good shout, with the many students close by I reckon they could make a go of it. As it's been refurbished and Council owned how hard could it be to sort out.
 
Norfolkred1 said:
Someone mentioned the Captain Cook building, which was a good shout, with the many students close by I reckon they could make a go of it. As it's been refurbished and Council owned how hard could it be to sort out.
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Students are daytime not night time.
Would not have the same capacity, or same car parking etc. But with all the new housing it could be a successful venue for someone. It would be great for it to be a pub/restaurant/venue rather than an office but whatever hope it gets occupied soon.

Back to Base Camp. It would be great to think the new owner would want to work with the Base Camp crew. It is the nearest thing to an arts centre we have in Middlesbrough. In a wonderful, historic Victorian building. The former main post office being a public space again seemed right
 
fmttmadmin said:
Students are daytime not night time.
Would not have the same capacity, or same car parking etc. But with all the new housing it could be a successful venue for someone. It would be great for it to be a pub/restaurant/venue rather than an office but whatever hope it gets occupied soon.

Back to Base Camp. It would be great to think the new owner would want to work with the Base Camp crew. It is the nearest thing to an arts centre we have in Middlesbrough. In a wonderful, historic Victorian building. The former main post office being a public space again seemed right
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Is there anywhere around Bedford Street area which might be available?
 
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