Music studio to be evicted a year earlier than thought

THE town's only music rehearsal studio is to close a year earlier than expected after more than 20 years as a cornerstone of the local scene.

Rugby Music Studio – also known as the Lampworks Studios and Great Central Studios – is being evicted at the end of August throwing relocation plans into disarray.

Neighbouring Rugby Gymnastics Club owns the land on Lower Hillmorton Road and is selling it to fund its own move to a planned indoor sports hall on Kilsby Lane after 10 years looking for much-needed new premises.

The eviction came as a shock to studio staff who expected they would have at least another year.

Manager Pete Bain said: “It's a really big insult. We expected to be there until summer of next year. All I ask from the gym club is fair terms to allow us time to relocate.

“We're probably another year away from any prospective applications for funding or grants. We need to find a suitable building and we need to find the support from the community.

“At the end of the day, if the support isn't there then we can forget about having a recording and rehearsal studio in Rugby.”

Andy Walker, guitar teacher for Warwickshire County Music Service and guitarist for band White Men Can’t Funk, added: “The studio has been an integral part of the Rugby music scene ever since I can remember.

“If there is nowhere to rehearse, I fear local bands may vanish and not be able to take advantage of Rugby's currently thriving music scene.

“I hope the council will assist Pete as much as possible and get us back a place to rehearse.”

A spokesperson from Rugby Borough Council said it would work with anyone who asked for help on planning matters.

"If somebody comes to us with an idea for a specific site to build a new music studio, we would help them, and show them how to achieve that," he said.

“We have told Mr Bain how he can apply to have the building registered as a community asset, which would give him an opportunity to buy the site even if evicted. Other than that, it's up to the owner of the property.”

No-one from the gymnastics club wished to comment on the eviction.

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