Salford Lads Club "officially saved" from closure after fundraiser to keep iconic Manchester building open
28 November 2024, 14:39 | Updated: 28 November 2024, 14:43
The likes of Morrissey, Courteeners and Noel Gallagher were among those who supported the campaign to save the historic building.
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Salfords Lads Club has "officially" been saved from closure.
The historic venue, best known as the location of Stephen Wright's iconic photo of The Smiths, was threatened with being shut down due to rising costs and a drop in funding from a grant.
Earlier this year, it was revealed that the venue - which has been featured inTV series and films such as Peaky Blinders, Mr Biffs, Cold Feet and Last Tango In Halifax - needed to race £250,000 by mid-November, with organisers calling out to the community and beyond for support.
A gofundme page was set up for the fundraiser had some very famous donations, such as that from former Smiths frontman Morrissey himself, who gave £50,000 towards the cause (having previously pledged £20,000 in the past.
Now, organisers have confirmed that their target has been reached and even exceeded.
Taking to the official community hub's Instagram page, they shared a video which saw the venue emblazoned with the famous Smiths lyrics "There Is A Light And It Never Goes Out" as the intro to Oasis' tune Stand By Me can be heard in the background.
Their accompanying caption began: "We did it! Salford Lads and Girls Club is officially saved!
"Thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters, we’ve smashed our £250,000 target, ensuring the doors of this iconic building remain open for our young people and the community.
"As Manchester Evening News beautifully put it: 'The response to the appeal has been humbling and reflects the depth of feeling for the club which has been part of the fabric of Salford for 121 years.'"
The statement added: "From historic concerts to changing lives through youth work, this club has stood as a beacon of hope, culture, and connection. This funding ensures we can continue to make an impact for generations to come.
"A heartfelt thank you to every individual, business, and partner who stepped up to help us keep the lights on. This is your victory as much as ours. Together, we’ve shown what’s possible when a community rallies together."
Salford Lads Club was opened in 1904 by Robert Baden-Powell as a youth centre in Ordsall. Though it was originally a club for young boys, it is now open to all young people.
The much-loved building has become somewhat of a pilgrimage for music and culture fans from all over the world, but has especially fond memories for those close to home.
The legendary singer-songwriter Graham Nash (The Hollies as well as Crosby, Stills & Nash) who spent his childhood in the area throughout the '40s and '50s and himself was a member of Salford Lads Club also donated £10,000 to save the venue.
Noel Gallagher auctioned his guitar and helped curate an Oasis exhibition to raise funds towards the cause, while the likes of Middleton outfit Courteeners and Salford-born frontman of The Charlatans, Tim Burgess, backed the cause.
At the time of this article's publish, £273,402 has been raised in donations on the Salford Lads Club's gofundmepage.
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