24 Kitchen Street: Concerns for future of venue

Proposals to build a 200-apartment complex next to live music and club venue 24 Kitchen Street have prompted fears from the owners and members of Liverpool's creative community over potential noise complaints which could put the venue's future in jeopardy.

Specifically, they are concerned that residents of the proposed apartment buildings may lodge complaints regarding noise arising from people leaving the venue and using the smoking area – situations they say the developer's noise assessment does not take into account – rather than regarding activities inside the venue (for which they are insulated). 

Put forward by Songbird, part of property development organisation Iliad, the proposals consist of plans for a pair of seven-to-nine storey apartment blocks to be built on land bounded by Blundell Street, Kitchen Street and Simpson Street, flanked by a carpark of 100+ spaces. The blocks would also contain commercial and office/workspace. According to the Liverpool Echo, the scheme will go before planners next week.

The news arrives at a time of debate in Liverpool over the protections offered to venues that form an integral part of the city's music and cultural scene. From Drop the Dumbells to The Kazimier, MelloMello to the Lantern Theatre, a succession of venues and arts spaces over the last few years have established their importance to the creative community and audiences alike, only to see their buildings sold to make way for more property developments. This echoes a tale that could be told about many city centres across the UK.

Rising costs in Liverpool city centre had at one point drawn new businesses to the cheaper space available in the Baltic Triangle area; now the gentrification of that area, which has already seen the retreat of the Lantern, potentially threatens other venues too. While some businesses have relocated to the developing North Docklands area, a mile away from the city centre, around the Kazimier-designed Invisible Wind Factory, 24 Kitchen Street is one of the few remaining small venues to maintain that spirit of community and independence within the centre itself.

The worry is that this seeming pattern of development may point to a city centre where small, arts-focussed businesses are increasingly unsustainable, surely defeating the very purpose of the creative reputation on which Liverpool seeks to trade. 

"Liverpool city centre is quickly becoming bereft of safe spaces for experimentalism, DIY values and cross-cultural dialogue," writes Jon Davies in a piece published Thursday. "It is more pressing than ever to ask why this is happening, and what can be done to protect our independent music scenes.

"Liverpool’s branding as the home of music may well be propped up by its heritage and its magnetism to the stars of tomorrow, but the space for spontaneous creativity, and meaningful community must be protected," he adds. 

Liverpool City Green Party councillor Thomas Crone posted using the #savekitchenstreet hashtag on Twitter that "New developments in the Baltic [Triangle] need to respect its unique character": 

#savekitchenstreet New developments in the Baltic need to respect its unique character. Need to support local small business + music culture

— Tom Crone (@tommartincrone) December 15, 2016

"Don't let regeneration burn out another venue", tweeted curator Nathan Jones.

"Culture is rocket fuel for regeneration" What do @culturelpool think abt #savekitchenstreet? Don't let regeneration burn out another venue

— nathan jones (@nathmercy) December 16, 2016

Kitchen Street are encouraging those worried about the planning application to petition local politicians and councillors about their concerns.

facebook.com/24kitchenstreet