With the help of a £5,000 donation from a charity, an independent music venue has been saved.
Due to its outdated fire alarm system, Esquires in Bedford claimed that it might have had to shut down or pay a fine.
It has since received the funding from the Music Venues Trust, one of 13 venues across the UK to do so.
The venue's director, Gareth Barber, stated that he had "a good relationship with the Music Venues Trust.".
Established in 1984, the location changed its name to Esquires in 1991.
A total of 280 people can watch on its main stage.
It not only hosted well-known touring bands like Coldplay, Elbow, Muse, and Roni Size, but it also provided support for regional musicians.
As their careers took off, there were frequent performances by musicians like Alfie Templeman, Tom Grennan, and rock group Don Broco.
Another musician who performed at Esquires was Alfie Templeman, a Bedfordshire native.
According to Mr. Barber, the venue had to raise "almost £15,000 in a short period of time" after the fire alarm system was "condemned.".
He claimed that the "boiler broke down before Christmas" and that the location also needed emergency electrical work done.
We are now on the other side of it, he continued, but it was once again a little frightening and touch-and-go.
The £5,000 came from the Pipeline Investment Fund of the Music Venues Trust.
The chief executive of the charity, Mark Davyd, stated: "Small sums of money, wisely invested, can make a real difference to grassroots music venues."
