Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club reaches second fundraising target

Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club has reached its second fundraising goal of £18,000, having started its crowdfunder just last month.

A ‘fighting fund’ set up to save Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club (BGWMC) has smashed its second fundraising target with more than two weeks still to go.

Friends of Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club (FoBGWMC) launched a campaign shortly after the LGBTQ+ venue was served a two-month eviction notice in June 2024.

After a successful rally and a petition that was backed by over 13,000 people, Tower Hamlets Council designated the building as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), which means the local community has a ‘Right to Bid’ if the building goes up on sale.

In February, the Friends launched a fundraiser to help secure the future of the venue with an initial goal of £12,000 and an extended ‘stretch target’ of £18,000.

At the time of publication, 24 March, £18,395 had been donated to the campaign. 

Nick Keegan from Equity, the performing arts and entertainment trade union which has been supporting FoBGWMC, said: ‘We are so grateful for every single donation, and every single person who has shared or posted to help build this campaign. The battle is not yet over, but this bodes very well for the future.’

Mr Keegan added: ‘We might be a little bit quieter now, while we go and do the vital work which we can now afford to do. We will have limited capacity during this time. But please be ready for the next stage of the campaign. We will still need all of your tremendous support as we start to build the community bid for the building.’

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands the crowdfunder page will remain open until April 8, which was the original closing date for donations.

The first £12,000 will go towards a full chartered survey and valuation of the Grade II listed building, as well as covering the cost of planning applications which have put vital protections on the building.

The additional £6,395 which has so far been raised will help FoBGWMC develop a robust business plan with financial projections that will cover all consultancy and accountancy costs. The building is currently owned by a group called Boro of Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club.

FoGWMC said despite the continued success of the club, the proceeds of the sale will be shared between 50 individuals, which they fear could end 130 years of working-class community ownership. 

The group is hoping the council will either buy the club and lease it back to them, or the council will allow FoBGWMC to buy the club themselves.

A spokesperson for Tower Hamlets Council said the club is an important venue for the borough’s LGBTQIA+ community, particularly at a time when there is a decline in these spaces across London. 

They previously told the LDRS: ‘We have not received notice of the owner’s intention to sell the property and we are not aware of the building being marketed as ‘for sale’.

‘We have contacted the freeholder for further details and about their obligation to inform us of any intention to sell. The council’s Corporate Director for Housing Regeneration has met with the campaign and we are working with them to find the best way forward to protect this important venue.’

They went on to say: ‘The club was established in the 1950s and in planning terms its use is as a cultural venue. Such venues are protected by the policies outlined in the Tower Hamlets Local Plan and the London Plan. Consequently, any proposed changes to the property’s use that require planning permission would be evaluated in accordance with these policies, which aim to preserve such venues from being lost.’

You can donate to the crowdfunder here  https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-bgwmc#start

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