[OT] R.I.P The Point

[bty997881]

Received this last night:

"It is with deep regret that we announce the closure of the venue today. On 27th February 
2009 the Director of the Point Cardiff Bay Limited signed the appropriate notices to call a 
meeting of creditors pursuant to S98 Insolvency Act 1986.

A number of factors have contributed to this situation. Many of you will be aware that 
during 2008 we began receiving noise complaints from one or two neighbours that had 
moved into the new apartments that have been built next to the venue. After some 
difficult negotiations with the Cardiff City Council we undertook a huge amount of work to 
soundproof the venue in an attempt to secure its future. While that has largely been 
successful, the burden of the debt that we took on, together with greater restrictions in 
our banking facilities and more difficult trading conditions in the last few months, as well 
as the loss of revenue whilst the refurbishment works were undertaken, has meant we are 
unable to meet our current liabilities and have been left with no option but to seek 
voluntary liquidation.

Many people have put their heart and soul in turning the Point into the magical venue that 
it is and we have received huge and loyal support over the years from fans and bands 
alike. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for that support. It is a very 
sad day for us and for the live music scene in Cardiff."


 As the front page of today's South Wales Echo put it, "The Day the Music Died". 

 Ironically, only a couple of days ago, I received the usual newsletter, saying that the Mark 
E Smith gig had been postponed due to the great man  suffering a fractured hip (reckon he 
wont be playing Hip Priest again for a while! Sorry), but also highlighting some other great 
gigs coming up, including The Groundhogs, Stray, The Beat, The Wurzels, GLC & John 
Cooper Clark. 
 In recent months I saw no less than The Fall, The Wedding Present and The Grandmothers 
there. Says it all really. What a sad day.
 I think I posted a link here to their petition when they were faced with closure over the 
noise complaint mentioned above. Sad that having survived that, they get done over by 
the recession.
 Not sure if Peely ever visited the place (I know he was a great fan of TJ's  just down the 
road in Newport), but I'm sure it's the kind of place he would have approved of,
sic transit etc.
Roger