13th Note in Glasgow's Merchant City to host fundraising gig

More than 20 staff at the 13th Note in Merchant City lost their jobs when owner Jacqueline Fennessey suddenly pulled the plug in the middle of a long-running dispute over pay and conditions.

She claimed industrial action taken by employees over busy weekend periods had put the business in an unsustainable position - and closed the doors on July 18th without notice.

A crowdfunding campaign, which was launched to support the stricken workers, has reached almost £9,000 and now a gig is being held at the Classic Grand in Jamaica Street on Sunday to further support those left out of work.

Chef Nick Troy told the Glasgow Times that employees put their ‘heart and soul’ into trying to make the business a success – and now want to follow their dream of becoming the Note's new owners.

He said: “We all put so much in and we don't want that to be lost, the team there was like a family and really looked out for one another.

“Everyone was devastated when Ms Fennessey closed it down just when we believed we were on the cusp of meaningful negotiations through ACAS that could have resolved our dispute. The support we have received from the public, our colleagues in hospitality across the city and officials at Unite the Union since has been superb, but we don’t want to let the venue just disappear.

There has been widespread support for the 13th Note workers (Image: Newsquest)

“The 13th Note has always had a special place in the hearts of music lovers in Glasgow and we want to do all we can to protect that and see the venue's legacy continue and be built on for years to come.”

Sunday's concert will include live music from artists such as Tina Sandwich, Apostille, Calum Baird, SIANNEN and Vos Rough. Doors open at 7pm

All funds raised on the night with be used to support the campaign to reopen the Note under workers’ ownership, a move which the former employees say will ‘reinstate the venue's cultural and social legacy'.

READ MORE: 13th Note staff in Glasgow blast owner for handling of liquidation

The gig will be the first step in a wider campaign to raise the cash needed to make an official approach to liquidators, with Unite bosses calling on the public, trade unionists, councillors, MSPs and music-lovers across the city to attend and support staff’s ambitious plan.

Nick added: “The sudden closure of the bar has been placed people in serious financial distress. Ms Fennessey still hasn’t come forward with the legally required notice pay and have had to deal with the emotional and social impact of losing our livelihoods

“In spite of this, we have rallied together and decided to fight back. Fundamentally we believe in the 13th Note as an institution, one that should not be run into the ground for private profit, but commonly shared amongst staff and patrons.”

Siannen McIlroy, a former 13th Note worker, is one of those who will be taking to the stage on Sunday.

The Classic Grand will host Sunday's gig. (Image: Supplied)

She said: “The 13th Note was the first venue I ever played in, so it has a lot of importance for me beyond being my workplace. It provided an accessible cultural space for a lot of different music scenes, from those just starting out to established acts.

“We want to protect and promote that, to re-establish and drastically improve the facility and see it return to its roots of nurturing talent and welcoming creativity. Reopening the 13th Note under workers’ ownership would allow us to run the venue for the community. It would no longer be controlled by an absent owner who fails to appreciate its significance.”

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased by clicking here.