Derek Turner, Spirit Store: 'It looks like we're gonna have to use the venue as simply a pub' in short term

The incredible difficulties of reopening well-known local pub and music venue The Spirit Store here in Dundalk were highlighted in bleak terms by entertainment manager Derek Turner today.

Laying out the range of new measures that need to be complied with to allow pubs and similar venues to reopen, Turner said they are in a “very difficult position”.

“From our position as an independent music venue, that’s not supported by the arts council, we’re very much in a situation where our first objective is to get the bar back open and get people coming through our doors,” explained Turner, speaking on RTE’s Today with Sarak McInerney show today.

While getting the bar open is foremost in his thoughts, the realistic short-term future for the Spirit Store’s revered upstairs live music venue is very much unclear.

“First of all, it just will not be possible for us to put on a show, our capacity is 220 and we’ve done the mapping out of the two-metre rule and we could get less than 50 people into a potential show and unfortunately that includes stage width and the size of stage.”

A regular winner of small venue of the year awards in both province and country, the Spirit Store’s beloved intimate setting is simply not conducive to social distancing, Derek explains.

“It’s going to be impossible for us to put bands on. We’re going to have to start doing quite a lot of comedy, which is going to help with a solo person stage. We’re looking at one or two-piece acts in a show in the short term, but it’s just not financially viable at the moment for us to actually put productions on and we don’t want to be in a position were we held events that are on that really serve no purpose other than the fact that we put it on and it does not make any financial sense from our point of view to run shows for the sake of running shows and lose money.”

Like any business right now, getting revenue back and custom through the doors is vital. Using the music venue as an expansion of the pub is a possibility, says Turner.

“Our first priority is obviously to get the bar back open and try and get a little bit of footfall and in the short term it looks like we're just gonna have to use the venue as simply a pub.” 

But, the very act of reopening the pub alone, brings with it serious financial peril and pressure due to the reduction in numbers safely allowed inside when the pub does reopen.

“Even just opening the pub itself is going to be extremely challenging financially, but it’s the first step we’re gonna try and take in terms of our recovery.”

Of course, any pub or venue is so much more than the four walls. It’s about people - those who work within the live music industry have been hugely impacted by the lockdown.

“One of the issues I want to raise is the pandemic payment for a lot of artists,” Derek proffered speaking to RTE. “For every artist you see on the stage, basking in the glow of the spotlight, behind that black curtain you have lighting, sound, stage hands, merchandise, tour managers, promoters, security, costume riggers, etc.

“So many of our wonderfully talented people we have in this country, like Michael D Higgins said earlier about how we have to embrace and hold on to these people, he used the term about “having to be let go” and I think it’s a very significant term because it’s really important beyond August 10, when apparently the pandemic payment is to be ended, we risk losing so many wonderful, wonderful professional people if they have to be imply put on the scrapheap. 

“I think we need to look at the people that our involved in our industry and find some way of supporting them, so that when they do get back to work - and most of these people won’t get back to work this year, that’s a fact - and we really need to look at supporting them financially and not just dumping people on the unemployment list.”

There’s an even great discussion, Turner feels, to be had about the overwhelming importance of live music for everyone.

“I really do think a conversation has to be had. What the artists and entertainers contribute to our mental wellbeing we’re now having this conversation about mental health and part of the joy of entertainment and joy and music and creativity we cannot lose those professional people.”

It has become a common part of the lockdown experience to watch live streams of musicians providing free gigs from their homes on social media. Turner likens it to “begging on the street”.

“At the end of the day, they are all trying to survive. People are doing live shows from their homes and using donate buttons. It’s like begging on the street essentially. It’s very sad to see - it’s wonderful to see the way artists have reacted. 

“Within two weeks of the pandemic on our Spirit Store social media we were broadcasting and announcing various shows from many, many artists from all over the country who were doing house concerts and usingthe donate button with a certain percentage going to, for instance, Womens Aid, The Rape Crisis Centre, so it’s only a stop gap. 

“I think in terms of all that, and I want to come back to the donate button as well, there’s a service that so many venues and bars that put on music which they do every year to help in terms of fundraising for local events - SOSAD and Women’s Aid - all of these things feed into the sense of ourselves and our culture and again I really think a big conversation has to be had about how much we really, really value what artists do if we were to continue to go with these fundraisers on Facebook.” 

For Turner, nothing will ever beat being there.

“There’s nothing like a live show, to see the joy on people’s faces. Yes, crowds are together arm in arm, there’s nothing quite like that in terms of people’s mental health, to see people singing along in a joyous way to live music and until that comes back, we need to support the people that produce all of these things.”

Looking further ahead, the Spirit Store entertainment manager sees a long and slow return to normality.

“It does come down to social distancing and you must remember the stage size as well. So, I  do think the younger people who have the flush of youth, that they’ll be braver - whether they’re right or wrong is a different discussion - but they will be braver in terms of coming out. Certain age groups, they will be very reticent about going unto venues or theatres again. I think it’s going to take a long time to recover. 

“I think it’s going to be a very slow and gradual recovery. And it will take, in my opinion, into the middle of next year to get anywhere near 70 or 80 percent of where we were, but I do think it’s going to be a very gradual process.”