Bath may not be known so much for its nightlife venues as it is for pretty architecture and spa options, but it does have a few gems that have helped nurture the careers of big time rock stars, pop stars and DJs.
Since opening in 1978, Moles in Bath has seen the likes of Ed Sheeran, The Killers, Fat Boy Slim, Oasis, Blur, Radiohead and The Smiths pass through its doors. It has definitely earned its icon status.
Unfortunately, like so many other grassroots music venues this year, the club’s time is up. Moles has shut its doors with immediate effect.
The reason behind the sudden closure comes down to the UK’s ever-worsening cost-of-living crisis. Tom Maddicott, co-owner of Moles, said: ‘Making the decision to close Moles was horrendous, but the cost-of-living crisis has crippled us.’
Maddicott added: ‘The reality is that live music at grassroots level is no longer economically viable and we will not be the only grassroots music venue forced to close. There needs to be a major shake-up of the live industry with the big players supporting the grassroots where it all begins to secure that pipeline of talent.
‘Football gets it with the Premier League investing millions in the grassroots game each year to bring through new players. The music industry needs to do the same before the entire grassroots sector collapses.’
It's a big loss for the city and yet another casualty among the UK’s independent music spaces. One in five nightclubs shut down between March 2020 and August 2022, while most recently beloved London institution G-A-Y also announced its closure.
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