New community-owned music venue, Sister Midnight, to open in Lewisham
Organisers have re-opened their community share offer to raise a further 190K for the project
A new community-owned music venue is set to open in South East London. Formerly the Brookdale Club in the centre of Catford, the soon-to-be renamed Sister Midnight will soon become the first community-owned music venue in Lewisham.
In 2021, organisers raised £210k between more than 800 local people who invested in the first round of their community share offer, becoming members of the venue's co-op. Since then, they have secured the home at the former working men's club.
As well as providing a 250-capacity grassroots live music venue, rehearsal space for musicians, a community cafe space, and a private outdoor yard, Sister Midnight promises a strong multi-disciplinary arts programme and community events such as reading groups and skill training workshops.
Organisers said they are setting out to create a space for live music in South East London that "champions local music and local, setting a precedent for how music venues can be done differently."
They added: "It might not be much of a looker at the moment, in its current state it is a little bit spooky, but with some TLC, community spirit, and a big old chunk of cash, we'll be able to restore the building to its former glory, transforming it into a cultural hub that’s accessible for all." Check out photos from the space below.
The news comes two years after plans for Sister Midnight to take over a disused local pub, the Ravensbourne Arms, fell through. To bring the project to completion, organisers have re-opened their community share offer for a second round, aiming to raise a further £190K towards the cost of renovating and opening the venue. You can help make that happen by investing in the project here.
In a statement, Mayor of Lewisham, Damien Egan, said: “I'm delighted we've helped Sister Midnight to secure this space and establish Lewisham's first-ever community-owned live music venue – a fantastic legacy for our year as London Borough of Culture 2022."
Egan added: "This will provide a valuable meanwhile use for the building which can be enjoyed by all the community, support our local arts and music scene and help grow our night time economy. I hope this will serve as an important stepping stone towards a permanent home for Sister Midnight.”
