The Arches Nightclub has gone into administration following Glasgow City Councils decision to curtail its licensing hours. The Arches Board of Directors announced that it had ‘no other choice’ but to enter administration. All events scheduled at The Arches have now been cancelled.
Gordon Kennedy, Chairman of The Arches Board of Directors said, “The Board has taken professional advice and is left with no other choice than to begin the process of appointing administrators for both The Arches Theatre Ltd and Arches Retail Ltd”
He continued, “This decision has been taken with deep regret as it will have a major impact on our staff, business partners, customers, and on Glasgow’s reputation for night time economy.”
The news comes as a shock to the arts and music community in Glasgow and from further afield who have been campaigning to save the renowned venue – an online petition has gathered over 39,000 signatures from around the world.
However, Mr Kennedy did add that the board will work together with the administrators to “salvage some of the activities for which The Arches is renowned”.
Lucy Mason, Artistic Director for The Arches said, “The Arches has developed an international reputation as a producer and programmer of distinctive performance, providing opportunities for artists at all stages of their career to experiment and hone their practice. Without The Arches, the radical energy at the heart of Scotland’s theatre-making community will be greatly diminished, and the future for many individual artists suddenly feels very uncertain.”
The Arches sent out a message to its 27,000 Twitter followers announcing the news. They thanked Glasgow City Council, Creative Scotland, the staff and artists for the continued support in the last 25 years.
Mark Anderson, Executive Director for The Arches said, “Everyone connected to the Arches feels an overwhelming sense of injustice, but we can hold our heads high and be immensely proud of the lasting legacy we undoubtedly leave.”
He concluded, “We would like to gratefully acknowledge the invaluable contributions made by all staff, board, artists and partners over the years, and offer heartfelt thanks to our loyal customers who supported us throughout the years and were instrumental in making The Arches the iconic venue that it will always remain.”