Staying Alive Campaign
Jive Talkin’, Night Fever, Stayin’ Alive… not only does the Bee Gee’s past and ongoing legacy live on through their renowned music, but also through The Gaumont, Manchester.
Once a cinema named Gaumont Cinema, the place of their first legendary performance is now a funeral home, though “Bee Gees fans from all over the world come to have their pictures taken inside” – Chris Peacock. Perhaps not your usual stereotypical funeral home!
This community-led bid to not only save the building but to bring it into community ownership is being campaigned for by the volunteering Chorlton Community Land Trust to save the current Co-op Funeral Care from being changed from a memorable landmark to flats.
Australian fans and visitors have the notorious Bees Gees Way to visit as a tourist hotspot, but in the U.K., where the band emigrated to, the same cannot be said.
The aptly named Stayin Alive Campaign to secure the band’s heritage has worldwide support, as well as relatives of the Bee Gees.
At the time of writing, £55k out of £250k had been raised in the first few days.
We wish the campaigners the very best of luck from all of us here at Musik Magazine, and this is definitely a cause we will not only support, but keep our readers up to date with.
Words Emma Stevens
Update : The Chorlton Community Land Trust has now exceeded it’s target of £250k and has now set a new target of £500k.
