As the fallout from COVID continues unabated, the harsh reality is that some businesses in the music industry are hanging on by the barest of threads. These business not only provide live entertainment to the public, they also provide jobs to countless people and a place of comfort to many more.
“The Bendigo Hotel isn’t just a pub, it’s our home for music, and it has provided thousands of bands and punters a place to celebrate the live music that we love, for over a decade.
We need your help to keep the Bendi open for live music.
Why we are initiating a Go Fund Me campaign?
The music industry is drowning in the despair and debt of all of these lockdowns. It is utterly devastating that the Bendi has been put to the brink of closure multiple times. We all thought we had overcome the worst of it in 2020, unfortunately we were wrong.
We have had to endure multiple lockdowns, forced to trade at reduced capacity, and then had to cancel multiple shows/tours. Up until this point, we have done our best to brave this storm and haven’t once stopped fighting to keep the venue open. The passion is there, but the well is dry. The bills have run up too high and there’s nothing left to keep us afloat without your help.
The light at the end of the tunnel is fading and we can see no way through this without reaching out through a Go Fund Me campaign. We want to save the Bendi, we want to see her thrive again. We need those who love the Bendi and love live music to pitch in and help save this legendary institution.
What will the money be spent on?
The money will help us to renew the next term of our lease and cover the basic ongoing operating costs that keep adding up, whether we are open or not, including rates, rent, insurance and utilities. These expenses do not stop, whether we are open or closed – this is the killer.
Running a venue during a pandemic is truly frightening, and every step forward is almost immediately countered with two steps back, as the country swings in and out of lockdowns with next to no warning.
We know times are tough for everyone but we also know you love the place. Before throwing in the towel, we thought we should humbly ask for some help, as we all need our beloved venues to go to when we get to the other side of these lockdowns.
Any amount of money is greatly appreciated. Every little bit will help. If you are unable to donate at this time, there are other ways you can help out the venue, like sharing this go fund me link and letting the world know we need help.
We are proud of what the Bendigo Hotel has achieved over the past 11 years. We want to keep live music alive in Melbourne and support up and coming and established bands, as well as look after the legends that frequent our venue.
We aren’t ready to give up and we don’t want to see the building get gutted and become an apartment block, like so many other cherished music venues across Melbourne. We want to get through this pandemic and help get the music industry back to the thriving pre-COVID times.
We know you love this place just as much as we do and with the support of our community ,we believe we can together work towards a future that will see the Bendi host thousands of more bands and punters for decades to come.
Thanks,
From all the crew past and present and hopefully future!”
Follow the link to find out how you can make a difference Save The Bendy
