Idlewild's Rod Jones speaks out on the dangers of closing Edinburgh's Picture House

The Idlewild and Music Like a Vitamin project co-founder, whose gigs with both endeavours have been housed under The Picture House's roof over the last five years, has spoken out today about the planned closure of the Edinburgh venue. "It's a crying shame. For years, we were looking for a venue like The Picture House in Edinburgh," he remarks. "There was never a nice, theatre-sized venue like that around – that's one of the reasons Glasgow has always done a lot better, in terms of bringing in the bigger touring bands."

Jones continues: "Idlewild played the opening night, and it was great – suddenly we had this nice, purpose-built theatre venue, run by brilliant staff. It was a big moment for the Edinburgh music scene. Over the last few years, it has become a stalwart of that scene. It's a real catastrophe that it's closing." Jones said the venue had been "instrumental" in helping him run Music Like A Vitamin, and were "really supportive" of the mental health charity's aims. 

Jones believes one of the only alternatives to The Picture House for touring bands is The Corn Exchange, which he describes as "basically a cow shed." Without The Picture House, he believes that touring bands of a certain stature will no longer be inclined to visit Edinburgh, and "that has a knock-on effect for smaller bands. One thing Glasgow has always had over Edinburgh is that you can play Bloc, Mono, then King Tut's, then maybe the Garage, or The Arches... in Edinburgh, once you get to the point of selling out Electric Circus, your options become limited."

Furthermore, he says: "The fewer touring bands that come through Edinburgh, the less support opportunities there are for emerging bands. That has a massive effect. If they're not able to get in front of bigger crowds on a local basis – which helps them get bigger tours, and helps them progress – then it's really hard for them to get off the ground. You need a venue that attracts those kinds of touring bands." Idlewild, who have played several big gigs at the venue, including a 'homecoming show' in 2009, would have struggled to find a more appropriate place for the occasion: "I don't know where we would have done it," says Jones. Having played a big gig at the Usher Hall, the band enjoyed the experience immensely, but lost money, even though it sold out. "Without the Picture House, we wouldn't have been able to put on those kinds of gigs." 

Pub chain Wetherspoons have confirmed their buyout of the venue, which has been at various times a music venue, a nightclub and a cinema – now, they plan to turn it into a 'superpub' serving food and cheap drink, with their customary 'no music' policy. 

Wetherspoons are no strangers to controversy – this year, Huffington Post reported on their plans to open a pub at a motorway service station, while in November the chain apologised to three Gay Village workers in Manchester, who were allegedly refused service by a Wetherspoons employee who called them 'queers.' In May, riot police were called out in Bristol after a disturbance allegedly involving the English Defence League, which centred around a Wetherspoons pub where the far-right party's supporters were reported to have gathered in force.

Now, a cross-party group of MSPs have banded together to fight the closure of The Picture House. The motion submitted by SNP politician Marco Biagi is quoted in The Evening News: "That the Parliament notes the recent purchase of the Edinburgh live music venue, the Picture House, by JD Wetherspoon; considers that the Picture House is a much-loved venue and a key part of Edinburgh’s music scene; believes that the loss of the capacity to host musical performances would be a cultural and economic loss to the city; understands that a petition urging the new owners to retain the Picture House as a venue for music has attracted over 10,000 signatures, and urges JD Wetherspoon to preserve the place of live music in its plans for the Picture House."

Biagi later told the Evening News: "When you compare the provision of live music venues in Edinburgh with Glasgow, it’s really quite embarrassing. What’s offered by the Picture House is not replicated anywhere else in this city and once it’s gone, it’s gone. Our aim now is to pressure JD Wetherspoon into confirming they will continue to use the Picture House as a place for live music in this city. If we’re not successful then we may encourage someone else to take over the venue."

The petition mentioned can be found here, and currently has nearly 12,000 signatures. Started by Callum Mouat, the current bar supervisor at the venue, the petition has attracted support from Scottish rock royalty such as Frightened Rabbit, radio DJ Vic Galloway, and singer Nina Nesbitt, as well as international stars including Amanda Palmer. 

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