Birghton-based record label/studio/rehearsal space/promoters Small Pond are sad to announce that they have taken the difficult decision to temporarily shut the doors to their studio and rehearsal space due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In the meantime, the company are currently reaching out to representatives from the NHS and other charities/organisations to see whether their premises can be re-purposed to support relief efforts during the pandemic.
In light of the news, they have launched a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign to raise money for any employees not currently covered by the government’s proposed financial support measures.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-small-pond
In an official statement, the Small Pond management team said:
“Having seen how the virus has spread in neighbouring European countries, and as events continue to unfold in the UK, we feel that it is our responsibility to temporarily close our doors. It is imperative that we do everything within our power to stop the further spread of the virus and protect the most vulnerable members of our society. Like many others, our business will be severely impacted over the coming weeks and months, so we are asking for your help.”
“If, and only if, you can afford it, please consider donating, purchasing a token for a future studio booking, or buying a vinyl LP. We are a small business, with an even smaller team, and we don’t have any contingency plans in place for a pandemic. This money is just enough to keep us afloat in the next month, while no one is going be practising and recording at Small Pond.”
“When we built the studio back in 2015 we didn’t just want to build some practice rooms—we wanted to build a community hub for like-minded creatives and artists. We haven’t asked for anything before, and we have poured our hearts into this, and we hope that you can help us weather the storm.”
“We hope that this will soon come to pass and that, with your help, we can open our doors to the public again. The existence of this place is a testament to never giving up, and the power of the community that came around a small DIY project, to turn it into the heartbeat of the Brighton music scene.”
“As we will no longer be open, we are reaching out to representatives from the NHS and other charities/organisations to see whether it can be re-purposed to support relief efforts during the pandemic.”
“Please get in touch if you would like to discuss further.”
“Stay safe, be kind and look after each other.”