Ginglik owners 'gutted' over threatened closure

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Bar will cost £300,000 to keep open

The owners of Ginglik, a bar and alternative arts venue, say they are ‘gutted’ that they will not be offered a new lease due to the planned £3.3million redevelopment of Shepherd’s Bush Green.

 

The club, which is located in a converted Victorian public toilet in Shepherd's Bush Green and counts comedian Jimmy Carr amongst its fans, needs £300, 000 worth of repairs if it is to stay open.

 

Owners Colin Welsh and Tammi Willis have launched a campaign to persuade their landlords, Hammersmith and Fulham Council, to re-think their plans.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council say that Ginglik, which is located in a converted Victorian public toilet, needs £300,000 of repairs to keep it open.

The roof needs stripping back and the corroded iron supports repaired.

The venue also has damp walls, which damp proofing.

Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh, leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council, said: "Delivering value for money is the council's number one priority and the reality is taxpayers cannot afford the £300,000 it would cost to make this building safe.

"With limited funds available, the regeneration of Shepherds Bush Green, which will benefit thousands of residents, had to be prioritised before these extensive and costly repairs. We will be working with the club to help them find an alternative venue."

Colin Welsh, who co-owns Ginglik with his partner Tammi Willis, said: “I’m gutted, and quite a few of other people are as well.

"The redevelopment of Shepherd's Bush Green may well benefit thousands of local residents. But are we not forgetting the simple fact that Ginglik which was voted best club in Hammersmith and Fulham by myvillage.com, has built up a membership database of close to 25,000, with each of these members bringing up to four guests at a time?”

The pair will be hosting a protest above the club in Shepherd’s Bush Green on Saturday, 20 September, between 5pm and 7pm.

For more information, go to http://www.ginglik.co.uk/saveginglik.html

 

August 22, 2008