Exchange on Old Market Street has announced it's reducing its opening hours "with a heavy heart" due to the cost of living crisis. The popular not-for-profit music venue has decided to close its cafe bar area on weekdays for the "foreseeable future".
The venue will instead be moving towards expanding its daytime programme of events including gigs, workshops and markets - full listings are available through its website. Its resident record store Specialist Subject will continue to trade every day from the usual time of midday.
On Facebook, a statement from Exchange read: "It's with a heavy heart that Exchange has decided to close its cafe/bar for the DAYTIMES Monday-Friday for the foreseeable future. We will now only be open in the daytimes Saturday and Sunday from 12, with @specialistsubject continuing their trade everyday from 12 through the side door."
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Music venues across the UK had only just started to recover after the pandemic brought live performances to a standstill. Now, the energy crisis and spiralling costs have plunged many hospitality venues across the city into difficulty.
The post continued: "It's a tough time for everyone, with rising costs of living and it's become harder and harder for grassroots [venues] to survive in the economic climate. We are so so grateful to our community for their support, and hope to see you all down at shows in the future."
Speaking to BristolLive, booking manager Heidi Wort said the changes to opening hours would be temporary. "We will be able to open in daytimes again in the future, we just need a bit of a break to regroup after a tough few months. It's due to a number of factors but energy is certainly one.
"Most important things to stress are that Specialist Subject, the record shop upstairs will still be open from midday all week and can be accessed from the side entrance. We will still be doing our banging vegan hotdogs from 12 on weekends and we have an exciting program of daytime sessions presented by Fat Paul happening most Saturdays and the occasional Sunday for the foreseeable. Follow us on socials and Headfirst for more details."
Exchange is a supporter of Music Venue Trust, a national charity that has helped numerous venues across Bristol. It has a joint Patreon account with The Louisianna for those who are able to support the venues directly through donations.
The Old Market venue first opened in 2012 home to two spaces with capacities of 250 and 80, which have hosted the likes of The 1975, Haim, George Ezra, IDLES and Sleaford Mods over the years. In October 2018, Exchange ran a community share campaign where 389 people invested and became part owners of the venue.
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