A thriving live music venue in Bootle is set to receive a significant financial boost, with plans announced to allocate over £500,000 to transform it into a permanent events site. The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has set aside £585,000 of funding for Salt and Tar.
The venue, which opened next to Bootle Strand earlier this year, was launched by local band Red Rum Club, who co-own the premises alongside Sefton Council. Initially established with £2.1m of Combined Authority funding, Salt and Tar was granted permission to operate for five years in 2021.
The venue has already drawn thousands of visitors and hosted global music stars such as Status Quo and Tom Jones at the Music Weekender festival in August. Over the four-day event, more than 11,000 people attended the canalside venue, which also featured performances from local bands and artists, reports .
The proposed additional £585,000 will facilitate improvements to secure the venue's future as a long-term cultural asset and allow for 'wider aspirations' for the multi-use events space. Work is anticipated to commence following the 2025 events programme, subject to detailed design and planning approval.
The funding, which forms part of an additional £2 million package aimed at supporting Sefton Council in delivering four projects across Bootle and Seaforth, will be up for consideration at the Combined Authority meeting scheduled for Friday 15 November. Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram commented: "Salt and Tar is a brilliant example of the sort of cultural asset that we want to support and protect."
He added, "This funding means not only can we secure a long-term future for this much-loved venue, it will also bring new opportunities to Bootle and Seaforth, creating jobs, boosting local learning and contributing to the area's vibrant future."
Other initiatives set to benefit from the funding include up to £785,000 earmarked for the refurbishment of St George's House, up to £580,000 destined for enhancements to Sefton Community Learning Centre on Cambridge Road, and up to £50,000 allocated to assist the Bootle Strand Commodity Trading School.
Councillor Marion Atkinson, Sefton Council Leader, expressed her approval: "We're really pleased to see this funding being earmarked for Sefton and it shows the confidence in what we're doing here."
She further stated, "It will help us to continue some of the great work taking place to support the local economy and improve facilities to make best use of them for the local community."
Don't miss the latest news and analysis with our regular North West newsletters – sign up here for free
