Accessibility Statement
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We are delighted to announce that Music Venues Properties, alongside the original owners of The Croft, have stepped in to safeguard this institutional music venue from closure.
The Croft is not only a seedbed venue where Bristol Music scenes have honed their sound over the past 20 years, it has served as a lynchpin to the music community. Following it's sudden closure of in summer last year the loss of 'Crofters', as it had become known, has been keenly felt by the Stokes Croft community, promoters, musicians and audiences who cherish this space. The building has been bought by Music Venues Properties (MVP), a Community Benefit Society set up by Music Venues Trust, to safeguard our musical heritage for the future. Their Own Our Venues campaign has already seen the successful purchase of five grassroots music venues across the UK, and Bristol Nights are delighted that our beloved The Croft has been passed into safe hands, with the original team (and original name) once again becoming part of Bristol's musical offering.
Music is a massive part of the culture and identity of Bristol – and grassroots music venues are a vital part of the ecosystem, essential for nurturing talent and providing the opportunity for artists and performers to hone their craft and bring audiences together, for promoters to take risks and provide the launchpad for the next generation of music creators.
In Bristol, it’s events in smaller venues such as The Croft which do the heavy lifting when it comes to Bristol Music, with 78% of Bristol's gigs happening in venues under 1,000 capacity. However, despite their significant place in the cultural life of our city, these smaller venues bring in only 32% of the £42million pounds generated for the Bristol economy, through music tickets every year. We recognise how tough the music industry is in 2025and celebrate this glimmer of positive news for Bristol Music.
In November, Bristol Nights set out our vision to supporting our musical infrastructure in A Ticket to the Future. We believe that music is the glue that makes this city's nightlife so special. To see a long-term investment in this venue is truly music to our ears.
We offer our huge congratulations to MVP and the team behind The Croft, and cannot wait to see the listings start reappear in this much-loved Bristol institution.
The purchase of The Croft isn’t guaranteed - but with your help, it could be. MVP has opened a Community Share Offer where you can invest to earn interest, become a member of MVP, and play a vital role in bringing this iconic venue back to life.
Visit the Crowdfunder page to find out more.
Long Live The Croft ♥
Music Venue Properties (MVP) is a charitable Community Benefit Society established by Music Venue Trust with a bold vision: to take grassroots music venues out of risk and into permanent community ownership.
📷 by Jojo Taplin
