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[Stichman]

I reckon someone should buy up the building and relauch it solely as a music venue/club. With the right managment, it could do a flyer - as has already been said a number of times, it's technically a much better venue than Tunnels and Moshulu.

[senseless]

What I don't think people on here understand is that we haven't just lost a music venue, we have just lost Scotland's leading arts organisations.

My first experience of The Lemon Tree goes back over a decade to when I was doing drumming workshops on a Saturday morning. I've also been to summer schools there and was a member of the Lemon Tree Youth Theatre since its inception. This gave me many opportunites including the chance to perform one of our productions in Glasgow in front of other young people from across Europe, MSPs, MPs and MEPs.

Since then, I've attended so many gigs. However, to an extent I agree with some people on here: there are still places to go for gigs in Aberdeen (albiet, nowhere near as suitable as The Lemon Tree was for folk / jazz / blues / traditional / experimental). This is not what it was all about though. WE HAVE LOST A VITAL ORGANISATION WHICH, TO A HUGE EXTENT, WILL TAKE ABERDEEN OFF THE CULTURAL TOURING MAP WHICH THE LEMON TREE HELPED TO GET US ON IN THE FIRST PLACE. There is now no professional small or medium scale theatre in Aberdeen which is capable of promoting the same quantity and quality of theatre / dance / comedy / kids' shows that they did.

You only have to look at the press's phenomomenal coverage on this story over the past couple of days. The Times, The Herald, The Scotsman, Radio Scotland, Radio 2, BBC One Scotland, STV and GMTV have all shown that they are appalled at this shock move.

Yesterday's Tom Morton show on BBC radio was dedicated to his own and listeners' fantastic memories of the place.

The Lemon Tree was set up 'to provide somewhere for artists that would not otherwise get the opportunity to play in Aberdeen' I wholeheartedly believe that they achieved this to the best of their ability, considering all the financial and pressure they have been in since day one.

I believe we must all fight to save what has become part of our cultural heritage. I have grown up with this place and don't want to imagine the faces of the disabled drama group when they are told they can no longer meet or the over 50s drama group or choir that they have nowhere to perform.

SAVE THE LEMON TREE - Save The Lemon Tree - Home

The best way forward, from what I can see, is to spread the word even more than we already have and let your employers know about the campaign!

[u70jc]

The site doesn't give you details of how you can help....? Do you take Paypal? ;-)

[geo1903]

Originally Posted by senseless

SAVE THE LEMON TREE - Save The Lemon Tree - Home

The best way forward, from what I can see, is to spread the word even more than we already have and let your employers know about the campaign!

This £150K, whats it actually for? Just to pay October/Novembers bills or what?


Happy to contribute though, and hopefully everyone will email the link to the fundraising site to as much people as possible.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by geo1903

This £150K, whats it actually for? Just to pay October/Novembers bills or what?

Exactly. Are they going to need another £150k in a few months time when they fail to balance their books again? You can't just keep throwing cash at it.

I'm all for saving The Lemon Tree as a venue but I certainly wouldn't want the same people running it.

[The Kernel Loaf]

Originally Posted by senseless

SAVE THE LEMON TREE - Save The Lemon Tree - Home

The best way forward, from what I can see, is to spread the word even more than we already have and let your employers know about the campaign!

It was nice of you to make it look as disgusting as the old website.

[exlemonemployee]

Well it was made in about 24 hours...
The link to paypal will be put up soon as we still need to wait for the bank details. And the names and addresses of everyone who donates will be recorded so the money can be given back if we don't make it.

[Jim Stax]

Originally Posted by stuartmaxwell

we had a grim outlook when drakes closed its doors for the last time, and look at the progress that was made!

every cloud...

Don't mention Cloud!

Give all the funding to the (most) local promoters and let them run riot in the place for a year no questions asked. I would put money (I'm not going to) on that being a success in many ways that fit into the existing and in development 'future cultural bill'.


I may be coming across as not giving a crap but this isn't the case. Great staff down there at the grass roots level that did their darndest to make it work and should be applauded for this.
Yes is a big loss to many but there is much wealth to be spread in and around the city now. Sourcing new spaces for theatre and performance, independent initiatives having to make it work in other ways and to new audiences being exposed to things in other spaces are on the tip of the iceberg if the energy and will is there. We should all now be banging loudly on the council's door and demanding they support good ideas and assist in some manner. They have to listen and there are some there now that will, I hope.

Projects may require a bit more effort for some for a while but end results should be very rewarding and can lead to new and exciting ideas.

One idea mentioned earlier in the thread about separating the commercial and charity side of the LT and how the venue is used strikes me as having potential. Part of it's problem, if not the biggest, was having 'to be all things to all men'. Some serious thinking and planning and and efficient and well conceived business plan and strategy could get the money folk sctratching heads. Just caught my thinking as the evening went on is all...

Time will tell... I would like to have seen and see the difference if it was run, at the very top, by people who truly gave a shit!

...

[jaketekkie]

Originally Posted by Alan Cynic

I'm with all_his_engines on this one.......I tend to think there's some council subterfuge going on.

2 weeks ago, the p&j mentioned that the LT was in trouble and the council was going to offer us 250k, this information was leaked by a senior councillor. The board didn't hear anything about this.
On Tuesday, the press reported that there were 2 options offered to the board, from the council, to save the Lemon Tree. Only one was actually mentioned by their 'messenger'.
This only offer was for, wait for it, 250k.

I only wish that changes were put in place, like drastic cuts. to counter this council subterfuge .

I started working there, straight out of school, in 1993. I am very pround of what we achived. , even if we tried to do too much ( which was probably the main problem).
Live music costs so much to do properly, we tried to do it as properly as we could.

Only Barfly, Carling academies and Donald trump can afford to do Live music now.

[Mothership]

Originally Posted by jaketekkie

2 weeks ago, the p&j mentioned that the LT was in trouble and the council was going to offer us 250k, this information was leaked by a senior councillor. The board didn't hear anything about this.
On Tuesday, the press reported that there were 2 options offered to the board, from the council, to save the Lemon Tree. Only one was actually mentioned by their 'messenger'.
This only offer was for, wait for it, 250k.

I see Aberdeen Journals are demonstrating once more the fair and balanced journalism that they have shown throughout the Trump shenanigans.

Surely that saviour of the North East and well known philanthropist Donald Trump will sail to the rescue to demonstrate his dedication to culture and the desires of the local population? As we all know, he has our interests at heart more than the council. Well, that's what the P&J tells me, so it must be true!