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Church transforms into new music venue

Chloe Moggin Kidderminster
News imageBBC The front of a church which has red brick and one storey with arches windows and an arched doorway, with black doors and gold ornate patters on the hinges and handles.BBC
The church was built in the 1700s

When a Kidderminster church built in the 1700s went up for sale, Wayne Barber jumped at the chance to make it his.

It had gone up for sale previously and missing out that time, Barber was not going to let it happen again.

His vision for the building was clear - to turn it into a live music venue.

So that is what he did, and after renovations as well as keeping much of the building's original qualities, The Church Venue opens on Saturday.

"It was rebuilt in 1863, I believe, after a fire," Barber said.

"It still looks exactly as it would've done hundreds of years ago.

"The wholesale change has been the floor, it had many, many pews we had to remove, but we tried to keep it exactly the same."

News imageThe inside of a church that has become a music venue. There is a wooden floor space with seating and small tabled, as well as standing tables around supporting beams for the balcony that runs around the perimeter of the room.
Much of the original architecture has been kept at the venue

Barber has experience with music venues, also owning the Chester Tavern in town. But he had always wanted a second venue.

Despite the change of use at his latest, much remains, including the stained glass windows and stage, albeit with the additions of a PA system and lighting desk.

"I think its probably one of the most beautiful stages I've ever seen," he told the BBC.

News imageA stage area with red carpet and gold details. There is a black sound system and a cream coloured drum kit. On the back wall behind it is a colourful stained glass window
The venue opens with free musical acts on Saturday

There is also an upstairs area which has been modified to seat people for events.

"The organ is still in situ, which was installed in the mid 1900s," Barber said.

"At the back, what we've done is elongated the pews and we've upholstered them so there's about 50 or 60 seats upstairs."

He said capacity was about 330 standing and 200 to 220 seated, but as "we're going through our soft launch phase", the gigs "that we're putting on will really help us understand the space".

Saturday's event will start with an opening ceremony at 12:30 BST, with the Mayor of Kidderminster cutting the ribbon.

There will then be 12 musical acts from 13:00 to 00:00 BST.

News imageThe inside of the church from the balcony, which runs around three of the four walls. There is an archway at the far wall with the stage on it and a stained glass window. Below is a wooden floor with seating and small tables. On the balcony are rows of wooden pews
The venue has capacity for people to stand and sit

As well as music, Barber has community events and talks planned for the venue.

"The idea of this soft launch is to enable us to really nail down how this venue works… once we're through with that I'm already in some decent conversations with booking agents," he said.

"I really want to push the boundaries with acts that we can get here.

"There's such positivity from local folk."

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