Welsh Celebrities Battle To Save Popular Music Venue

Former Catatonia singer Cerys Matthews and Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens have thrown their weight behind the campaign to keep open a much-loved South Wales music venue.

The Point, a gothic-style church in the Bay area of Cardiff, has been threatened with closure after Cardiff Council served the owners with a noise abatement order in December, following a complaint from one neighbor.

Owners of the venue are now counting down to May 21st when a court will decide the venue's fate.

If the Point is forced to close it will leave Cardiff, the capital city of the land of song, without a 200 to 1,500 capacity venue.

Supporters of the campaign say this will have a dramatic effect on the Welsh music scene, a culture that has given the world everyone from Tom Jones to Bullet for My Valentine.

"I performed at the Point in 2006," said Matthews. "It's a wonderful venue - you can sing to the heavens and look out across the crowd to magnificent stained glass windows.

“It's taken Cardiff such a long time to have somewhere special for musicians to perform. Everything must be done to keep music alive in the capital of Wales."

The problem arose after new apartments were constructed opposite the venue.

Even though many neighbours who moved in have praised the venue's noise levels, owners of the Point have said they have done everything to appease the situation, from reducing their hours to discussing soundproofing.

Promoter Jon Rostron, who is leading the campaign, told the Cardiff Post: "The complaint was from one person who moved into a loft apartment nearby. The people from the Point have asked to meet that person, but that person doesn't want to talk about it so its proving very difficult at the moment."

Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens said: "The venue is envied by all who go there to play. It brings touring bands from across the world to Cardiff, not to mention homegrown talent like the Manics, Cerys, Super Furry Animals and the best Welsh promoters.

“It is the only venue of its capacity in Cardiff and I hope it survives."

An online petition has already attracted over 4,000 signatures in just over a week. It can be accessed at www.keepthepointalive.com.

(by Kai Jones)