The Joiners, located in Southampton, and The Croft, located in Bristol, are historic grassroots venues that have seen artists such as Ed Sheeran, Oasis, and Coldplay play at the early stages of their careers.

MVP focuses on removing iconic grassroots venues from vulnerable commercial leases and placing them into community ownerships. This allows them to have long-term stability as MVP sets rent rates, ensures annual contributions towards maintenance, and ongoing support in the areas such as financial sustainability.

The two grassroots venues will now have permanent protected status. Named The National Trust for Grassroots Music Venues, Music Venues Properties focuses on removing venues from vulnerable leases by purchasing the building and being responsible for the maintenance.

Ricky Bates, the venue operator said, “We want to thank every single person who has bought a share in the scheme and ensured The Joiners’ future. As one of the most important live music venues ever to exist in the UK this is a win for all independent live music across the globe.”

“There are still more venues that need to be secured so please do invest if you can.”

World Famous Dive Bars’ Marc Griffiths said, “The Croft reopened recently but the future was still very uncertain.”

“Now, with MVP as the landlord, we know that this legendary venue will be part of Bristol’s unique music ecosystem for generations to come.”

Since launching in 2022, the Own Our Venues campaign has raised almost £4 million through community investment, with music fans buying shares from as little as £50, and funding from cultural partners.

The current phase of the Our Own Venues campaign has reached 82% of its £1.5 million target to bring seven more vital grassroots music venues into permanent community ownership.

COO Own Our Venues Matt Otridge said, “The purchase and securing of The Joiners and The Croft, two iconic buildings that have launched international carriers and sit at the heart of their communities, marks a historic milestone for Music Venue Properties.”

“But the work isn’t over and there are still more venues under threat… Every contribution helps us to secure more venues and each investor can then stand alongside those who already proudly say: we own these venues.”

Music fans can continue to invest and support the campaign here, which is live until November 14.

Once the target has been hit, Music Venue Properties hope to purchase the remainder of targeted venues, as well as announce the next phase of fundraising.

The Music Venue Trust (MVT), the sector’s primary advocacy group, reported that more than one Grassroots Music Venue (GMV) closed its doors every single week. In response, a bold new initiative could mark a turning point, with a coalition of independent promoters and music advocates announcing a bold new project: ‘Where It all Began’, a festival designed to breathe life back into struggling independent venues and promoters.

Backed by the MVT and spearheaded by Si Chai, founder of the touring venue collective Chai Wallahs, the festival is scheduled to take place on June 18-21, 2026, at Freddie Fellowes’ family home in Cambridgeshire. The Secret Garden Party Site owner said, “It will be a party that unites several independent festivals, stages, and collectives into one large rave that can offer a proper party”. This signals a paradigm shift away from the zero-sum game of competition, which was powerfully articulated by Si Chai, who states, “We’re not here to compete with the independent scene. We’re here to help”.

The bedrock of the entire initiative lies in its legal structure as a Community Benefit Service (CBS), which allows costs to be shared across venues, promoters, and fans, fundamentally changing the event’s goals, shifting the focus from maximising financial returns to ensuring long-term cultural and economic sustainability for the sector. According to organisers, this approach could cut production and transport expenses by a remarkable 40%, freeing up vital resources for artists and local operators.

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The festival’s initial funding will come from a public crowdfunding campaign set to launch in late 2025. This effort goes beyond mere fundraising; it functions as a membership recruitment strategy that instils a democratic spirit into the festival’s core, promoting a strong sense of ownership and community. The timing is critical, as more GMVs continue to shut down, with many others at risk of collapsing soon. This places the ‘Where It all Began’ festival in a unique and powerful position. It is, in effect, a real-world test case for a new social contract within the music industry, as the success or failure of the festival will serve as a crucial data point on the broader industry debate. By sharing resources and giving fans a seat at the table, it proposes a future where the strength of the independent sector lies not in emulating the corporate model, but in embracing its own unique values of community, collaboration, and mutual support.

They needed to raise £12,000 to cover printing and distribution. “It doesn’t matter how many global superstars we produce, they don’t forget their roots” – said Munro.
Famous bands, that featured in the magazine in the past and sprung to stardom, donated various items to the prize draw to help raise the money. Oxford bred acts like Radiohead, Foals, Glass Animals, Supergrass, Ride, Stornoway and Young Knives all contributed. Munro commented: “I went to the most successful bands in Oxford and asked them if they would help and every single one of them said yes straight away which was fantastic“.

The prizes included: “a test pressing of Radiohead rarities, a deluxe boxset of the Supergrass Strange Ones greatest hits, and a signed Ride album plus Andy Bell demos. Radiohead, Ride, Glass Animals, Stornoway and Young Knives have also signed rare copies of their magazine cover debuts“. A full list of donated items can be found here.

Today we launch the SAVE @NightshiftMag Crowdfunder. Win incredible prizes from @TruckFestival @O2AcademyOxford @radiohead @foals @SupergrassHQ @rideox4 @swervedriver @GlassAnimals @StornowayBand @youngknives @TheBullingdon & save Oxford’s music mag. Here: https://t.co/r8HOeVWgo6 pic.twitter.com/qJLXK8hW5I

— Nightshiftmusicmag (@NightshiftMag) July 1, 2021

In only four days, on 5th July, the target has been reached. That secured nine months of printing and distributing costs for the ‘Nighshift’. Munro shared the excited news on social media: “Four days – that’s how quickly Oxford’s music community took to rally and ensure Nightshift can return later this year to continue documenting Oxford’s fantastic but increasingly under-pressure music scene. A massive thanks to everyone who donated – friends, acquaintances, strangers, artists, fans. I bloody love you all…”
The prize draw runs until 29th July and even though the target has been met donations and support is always needed.