Hull Welly Club: At risk music venue saved from closure

The Welly Club in Hull has been operating as a music venue for more than 100 years

A 100-year-old Hull music venue has been saved from permanent closure by being bought by new owners after it went out of business during lockdown.

The Welly Club on Beverley Road is expected to reopen in May when government Covid restrictions permit live music venues to run again.

It shut in July last year when the company which owned it went into administration.

Nightclub group Tokyo Industries has now agreed a rescue deal for the venue.

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The club has played host to hundreds of famous bands over the years, as well as offering early chances to perform for Hull acts like Roland Gift, The Housemartins, The Beautiful South and Everything But The Girl.

Tokyo Industries' managing director Aaron Mellor said the Welly Club was a "vital part of [the] city's cultural fabric".

He added: "We must work hard to try and retain these creative gems for future generations to enjoy.

"Covid-19 has been hugely difficult for live music venues nationally and it will take some time to recover from this lost year. We hope to re-engage the jobs people lost during the closure."

'Unique charm'

The company has also taken over other venues across the UK affected by the lockdown, including Gorilla and The Deaf Institute in Manchester.

Mr Mellor said the company would install new sound and lighting equipment at the venue, as well as "some aesthetic improvements while retaining all of its unique charm and special atmosphere".

The Welly Club is the second live music venue in Hull to be saved from closure.

In September, the Polar Bear on Spring Bank was taken over by a community not-for-profit company after an online crowdfunding campaign.