Another comedy club launches crowdfunding drive

Another comedy club is turning to crowdfunding in a bid to create a dedicated venue.

Breakneck Comedy is seeking £25,000 to lease a space in Aberdeen, which aims to be the biggest comedy club in Scotland.

Promoter Naz Hussain is aiming for a 250-seater venue – 50 more than The Stand in Glasgow –staging comedy seven nights a week.

The club currently runs weekly gigs in the Blue Lamp pub, as well as less frequent shows across the North East of Scotland. Last year, Hussain also helped organise Aberdeen's comedy festival.

In a rather serious video to promote the fundraising drive, he says: 'This is a direct appeal to anyone that cares about the future of comedy in the North East.'

'This comedy club won't just benefit you, it will benefit future generations. It's time for us to take a stand, it's time to take our city back to greatness.'

Launched last week, the campaign has so far raised more than £1,000 in exchange for gig tickets, a plaque on the wall and advertising. It is using the GoFundMe platform, which means Breakneck gets the money even if it falls short of its target.

Crowdfunding for comedy venues has had mixed success. In 2015, backers handed over more than £18,000 to London's We Are Funny Project to build a venue, But that was only a fifth of the £90,000 needed so the purpose-built venue never materialised.

But the Angel Comedy Club raised £46,643 – more than twice its initial target – to successfully open its permanent venue, The Bill Murray, in Islington.

Published: 6 Feb 2017