Liverpool’s Meraki is campaigning to stop development opposite club
The development plans could see the closure of Liverpool’s iconic nightclub
Today, February 25, Liverpool nightclub Meraki asked clubgoers and the community for their help in saving the venue after the venue received details of a neighbouring warehouse that could go under development to turn it into a block of flats.
Posting on Instagram earlier today, the club announced: “Meraki received news this week that the big warehouse opposite us has had a proposal put forward to turn it into flats.
“We’re launching a campaign so you can put in a representation on the developers' website before it goes to the council planning stages, at which point we will likely be running a second campaign this time directed at the council’s planning department,” they added.
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The threat that this imposes could see the club receiving noise complaints from nearby housing, which could lead to the venue changing operating hours or having to soundproof to a “very high standard”.
Speaking to Mixmag, Meraki’s George Griffin said: “Any residential development next to a music venue that inherently produces loud noises will be an issue of contention.”
“Without proper sound-proofing of the proposed flats and future residents signing away their right to complain, Meraki will inevitably be forced to close.”
“This is an essential campaign for Meraki, without the public's support on this our fight wouldn’t be 10% of what it has the potential to be. Liverpool has already lost key venues over the past few years and the loss of Meraki would be another blow to the city’s musical and cultural output,” he told us.
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The venue proposes how you can help: “Please share in any way you can! If you could please use the google document template to submit feedback to the developer and ask your aunty, grandad and goldfish to do the same that would be amazing!”
The template takes under a minute to fill out and could save the club from potential closure. “Meraki's survival is under serious threat,” the venue posted.
As it stands, the first campaign will go toward the developer, and after moving to council planning stages, Meraki will launch an identical campaign directed toward the planning department.
“It’s not all doom and gloom and we’ve had some positive feedback from the Music Venues Trust and Liverpool Music Board but we’re just trying to get ahead of the game,” they shared.
Help to save the Liverpool nightclub and find a link to the template here.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Editorial Assistant, follow her on Twitter