Sunderland's Pop Recs Ltd. looking for new home after premises sold

The space they've occupied for two years has been sold by its owners Sunderland City Council to be turned into student accommodation, so they've been forced to shut doors - but they're adamant that it won't be permanent.

"Not existing is not an option," said drummer Dave Harper, who runs the store.

Over the years it's hosted in-store gigs from artists ranging from James Bay to Franz Ferdinand to Pulled Apart By Horses.

The store, formerly housed in Sunderland's old tourist offices, was only supposed to be around for a few weeks, but its immense popularity as a creative hub and meeting space meant that its doors were kept open significantly longer.

Harper said that the loss of the space as a community zone was particularly hard: "[It's] absolutely terrifying because, if you walk around this city, and if you don't want baked pastry goods or go to a charity shop or cash a cheque or put a bet on, I don't know what people do. I'm standing here with grease on my hands and I hadn't cried for years until I realised this place was done, and people were saying pleasant things about it. It's really driven home so acutely what this place has meant to people."

The band were reportedly aware for a long time that the Council were looking for a buyer for the property.

Sunderland Councillor Mel Speding said that the reason for selling the property was that it's "in line with council objectives to see more people living and working in the city centre," adding that "in the interests of council tax payers in these financially challenging times for local authorities, it secures a capital receipt. Naturally, with the success and popularity of Pop Recs, the council and others have been looking at ways and means of continuing and securing a similar venture elsewhere in the city centre."

Frankie and The Heartstrings release new album Decency on 10 July.

[via the BBC]