The Phono is dead, long live the subculture

Does exactly what it says on the tin. Some of the nonsense contained herein may be very loosely related to The Sisters of Mercy, but I wouldn't bet your PayPal account on it. In keeping with the internet's general theme nothing written here should be taken as Gospel: over three quarters of it is utter gibberish, and most of the forum's denizens haven't spoken to another human being face-to-face for decades. Don't worry your pretty little heads about it. Above all else, remember this: You don't have to stay forever. I will understand.
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sarah_orange
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Hi

Those of you from the Leeds area may have known of a dark little place called Bar Phono nee Le Phonographique and it's sister club the Bassment...
Bar Phono closed it's doors for good in december after many years of dingy* joy and the Bassment followed suit in January. Bar Phono is gone forever due to redevelopment plans for the Merrion Centre, the bassment is not.

I am currently drawing up plans and getting together a group of investors to help me to form a company and take a lease on the premises the bassment was in with the aim of opening it up as a broad spectrum alternative club. I intend to house a number of the nights made homeless by the closure of the previous clubs and also to bring in new nights and nights that have been languishing elsewhere. Don't worry - this includes a sunday evening dedicated to the various flavours of goth

so why am I posting this here? simple. I need more investors. I currently have a number of definite and some possible investors - the definites total about £26k which is still £7k short if none of the 7 possible investors decided to join in.

FYI - (I'm doing this project extremely transparently as its a labour of love not a cynical money making ploy) - my calculations have shown I'll need at least £58k for rental, deposits, equipment, stock, licenses, insurance, staff and refurbishment of which £5k will come from me, £20k from a brewery loan from the nice people at john smiths and £33k from investors.

It would be easy to spend more than this but this is the minimum we need to stop the club being the bassment and start it being the subculture - and any of you who had the (mis)fortune to spend any time at the bassment will know it's money well spent :twisted:

anyhoo if any of you (and it doesn't just have to be leeds people - I have at least £6k from outside of west yorkshire and some from outside of england) are interested in investing (in chunks of £1k) then email me and I'll send you my investor bumpf and, when I've finished it, a copy of the business plan. I hope to be progressing this sooner rather than later - the premises is officially vacant (and stripped back to the bone) on the 1st of march.

Sarah Orange
ms.sarah.orange@googlemail.com

* no not small inflatable boats...
Last edited by sarah_orange on 02 Feb 2006, 16:07, edited 1 time in total.
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Quiff Boy
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thanks sarah. i was going to contact you about this after carrie and smiley sam both mentioned it last night @ bauhaus

i've stickificationarized the thread under the "friends of heartland" policy i choose to adopt, whenever it suits :D

best of luck :notworthy:

bw, dont know if you've spoken to sam today but i know someone who was wanting more information... i'll pass on the details of your post :)
What’s the difference between a buffalo and a bison?
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sarah_orange
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excellent news! I shall go and kick him post-haste!

thanks for the stickiness

;D
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Ed Rhombus
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Miss L'Orange arrives and Heartlands suddenly feels cheap. <shivers>

Carrie and I are in (She told me) and I'm being sent out everynight to earn our stake money.
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sarah_orange
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do you have time to post? shouldn't you be out earning money
*cracks the whip*
:twisted:
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Francis
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So what would you get for your money? A 7% return on investment? Free beer? Sitting in on the auditions for the gogo dancers? Swanning about as if you owned [a 58th of] the place? Or just the security of knowing the bouncers can't refuse you admission.
And you know that she's half crazy but that's why you want to be there.
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Ed Rhombus wrote:I'm being sent out everynight to earn our stake money.
So that's why Carrie got those bauhaus hot pants.... :innocent: :lol:
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sarah_orange
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Francis wrote:So what would you get for your money? A 7% return on investment? Free beer? Sitting in on the auditions for the gogo dancers? Swanning about as if you owned [a 58th of] the place? Or just the security of knowing the bouncers can't refuse you admission.
I'm glad you asked. it'd be a proper investment with 5% interest and 0.5% of the profits on each £1000 invested. Genenerally the company would, if there was enough cash, buy back the investment over 4 or 5 years (£250 or £200 per k per year) so that by year 5 the company is self sufficient.

there's obviously a risk. it'd be a loan rather than an investment if there wasn't. but there wouldn't be any risk beyond the initial stake. plus the people who invest would be actively encouraged to help create the success of the venture. and by keeping everything visible problems would hopefully be spotted before they became and issue. if there was a problem the investors shares are preference shares so they'd have first dibs on any remaining/recovered moneys before me.

Stated somewhat harshly the company would be mine 100%. this is because it's my house on the line when the lease is signed for 10 years at £32.5k per year so I'm the one taking the major risk and putting in all the leg work!

oh and we already decided that investors don't get in free - not even me - unless they're at the club in an official capacity (some of them actually want to work behind the bar for free occasionally cos it reminds them of their youth :twisted: )

swanning about will be highly encouraged :lol:
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markfiend
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sarah_orange wrote:...it's my house on the line...
...I'm the one taking the major risk...
Are you sure it's worth it just to give a load of degenerates somewhere to play? :innocent:
The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
—Bertrand Russell
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sarah_orange
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I truely believe it can succeed. and I'm not staying in for the rest of my life apart from wendyhouse!

:eek:
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markfiend
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sarah_orange wrote:I truely believe it can succeed. and I'm not staying in for the rest of my life apart from wendyhouse!

:eek:
Good for you. I was only pulling your leg. I honestly wish I could afford to invest. ;D
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sarah_orange wrote:I truely believe it can succeed. and I'm not staying in for the rest of my life apart from wendyhouse!

:eek:
i tend to go out every night APART from wendyhouse :lol:
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sarah_orange
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ah that explains why I can't quite put a face to the name - I originally thought you were someone else entirely. er. unless you're not of course...
:urff:
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Quiff Boy
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sarah_orange wrote:ah that explains why I can't quite put a face to the name - I originally thought you were someone else entirely. er. unless you're not of course...
:urff:
:lol:

moi
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sarah_orange
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wow you're in the sunlight and everything! well done :wink:
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mik
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Word on the grapevine is that the proposed redevelopment of the Wade Lane side of the Merrion Centre won't be happening as they've been refused planning permission.

Merrion Properties are now (apparently) desperately backtracking on the termination of leases for the few remaining shops on that side, eg the fabulous Fuji Hiro.

My understanding is that they wanted to redevelop right up to the road itself (up to) three stories high extending the hotel but the application has been turned down on a number of grounds.

If this is true it won't be the first time Merrion Properties have closed down the Phono only to have to have it re-open serving the same devoted bunch of misfits and wierdos, of which I'm proud to count myself (last year was the first birthday in 20 that I'd not celebrated to some extent in there!).

Can't help on the finance side, and since licenscing doesn't come before Magistrates any more I can't help you there either, but I'll happily support The Phono Mk X with cash behind the bar :)

Good luck

Mik

PS What's Geoff (Salt) up to these days? Did he own the place up to it being closed down? Curious as to whether if the place could be opened again he'd want to reinvest... Lovely man, but a sloppy kisser :wink:
Something pithy.
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sarah_orange
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ooo I'd not heard that - I'll have to poke my mole inside TCS for info!

I suspect the phono will stay shut cos they'll probably still put in doors and close the centre at night - hence all the interest being on the bassment now. plus I suspect the size of the bassment means that some bigger nights can be put on which will support the place and allow the continuation of the important bits (to me anyway) like sunday club and a proper 'alternative' saturday night.

Geoff still owned both clubs up till their closures - he's been a real help - I'm forever pumping him for information about this and that - I suspect he was just feeling a little too jaded (and tired) to sign for another 10 year lease on the bassment without his real love, the phono, being there.

Ta for your support - monetary support isn't everything I can assure you!
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Ed Rhombus
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Went along to a meeting about this last night

L'Orange certainly seems to have a good solid well thought out plan, and it looks like being a very dynamic club.

Well worth a punt!
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mik
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Ed Rhombus wrote:Went along to a meeting about this last night
Care to expand on this?

Mik
Something pithy.
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timsinister
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Small boat?
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sarah_orange
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mik wrote:
Ed Rhombus wrote:Went along to a meeting about this last night
Care to expand on this?

Mik
my mate jen took minutes (3 double sided sheets) if she ever gets to typing them up they'll be available to anyone who wants to have a gander.

My business plan is being printed out and sent to the owners of the merrion centre tomorrow morning. eeeeeek! big step!
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Ed Rhombus
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timsinister wrote:Small boat?
You'd look a right ponce punting about in Hull docks Tim.
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sarah_orange
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quick update.

TCS want to go ahead! they haven't shot me down in flames as undesirable and silly! woo!

next step: 6-8 weeks of lease negotiations. bleh! and then refurb. rar!
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Karst
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There was a bit on the Phono earlier this morning on BBC Radio 6 with Gideon Coe - mentioning it had closed and playing Floorshow as that referred to it.
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sarah_orange
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aw that makes me happy and sad at the same time!
I miss the pit...
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