Arts venue repossessed due to 'financial struggles'

An arts venue, managed by the charity that runs the annual Leicester Comedy Festival, has been repossessed due to financial issues.

The Big Difference, on the High Street in Leicester city centre, opened its doors in 2020 aimed at showcasing new talent and local performers in music and comedy.

The venue announced on social media that due to the "financial struggles" of its parent company the Big Difference Company, it had been unable to pay rent and the doors had been locked, adding it was "closed until further notice".

In May, the non-profit company said that cashflow problems were to blame for hundreds of performers still being owed money for their appearances at the Leicester Comedy Festival.

The BBC understands staff arrived at the venue to find a repossession notice on the door.

The notice read: "Due to non-payment of rent and insurance under the terms and conditions of the lease... we have entered these premises by order of the landlord and have taken possession of the premises."

There are 10 shows scheduled at the venue between 11 July and 4 December.

The BBC has contacted the Big Difference Company for comment.

The company has organised the Leicester Comedy Festival - one of the biggest comedy festivals in the UK - for more than 30 years.

The festival attracts about 100,000 spectators and hundreds of acts yearly, with this year's event in February featuring Sir Stephen Fry, Sara Pascoe and Rosie Holt.

A BBC investigation discovered hundreds of comedians had not been paid after the event and received an email telling them their settlement payment would be delayed.

Full-time comedian Benjamin Alborough said he was still owed more than £2,000, adding he was frustrated the cash was not ringfenced to pay acts.

The 33-year-old, who started out as a student at the event in 2014, said: "The organisers said they were prioritising operational expenditure over payment of acts.

"They've said they paid two-thirds of payments, but it might be that they've paid everyone who earned under £20.

"That's all they've said to us.

"They've taken us for granted, I feel insulted.

"The lack of transparency means it's making me want to return less and less," he added.

Michael Harris-Wakelam, chief executive of Big Difference Company, previously said organisers were committed to paying comedians, but were waiting on the money themselves and were speaking to banks about bridging loans to get artists paid sooner.

Last month, the summer comedy festival, also organised by the charity, which was set to take place at Abbey Park on 14 June was cancelled due to "poor ticket sales".

Comedy industry leaders have warned a lack of funding and incentives could risk the next generation of comedy voices, pointing to a lack of support for grassroots venues.

The government said British comedy "plays a major role in our creative life", and was speaking to the comedy sector to hear their views "as we share a desire to see comedy flourish".

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