Bristol music venue and record shop Strange Brew has launched a crowdfunding campaign to keep the venue open through ongoing COVID-19 restrictions.

The venue, which is the brainchild of Bristol's Dirtytalk party collective, opened as a socially distanced sit-down bar and record shop in August, following months of development and a 2019 crowdfunding campaign that raised over £53,000 towards its overall £120,000 fit-out costs. Having battled the UK's 10pm hospitality curfew as well as the latest lockdown though, in addition to being ineligible for government support due to being a new venue, Strange Brew now needs more help to remain open.

"The venue has been viable whilst allowed to open under social distancing restrictions, but now Bristol is facing a prolonged second lockdown with limited financial support from central government its future is in jeopardy," a statement from the venue says. This latest crowdfunder has been launched in conjunction with the Music Venues Trust, with the venue's team hoping to raise £15,000 to pay rent and overheads through the lockdown.

You can support the crowdfunding effort here.

The Music Venues Trust recently launched a new campaign to help save 30 critically at-risk UK venues.