Bristol Colston Hall to change name in the autumn
Operators Bristol Music Trust have issued a statement
Last updated 8th Jun 2020
Bristol Music Trust has issued a statement today (8th June) reiterating that they’re committed to changing the name of Bristol Colston Hall in the autumn.
The 2,000-capacity concert hall and Grade II listed building, which is named after slave trader Edward Colston, first announced it was switching to a new name three years ago.
Colston Hall is currently undergoing redevelopment work and the new name was meant to be unveiled in the spring to coincide with the venue transformation, however the coronavirus pandemic has delayed completion of the work.
In the wake of the Black Lives Matter anti-racism protest in Bristol on Sunday (7th June), which saw protestors pull down the controversial bronze statue of Edward Colston and throw it into the harbour, Bristol Music Trust says the name of the venue will change later this year.
They also said the current Colston Hall name “does not reflect our values as a progressive, forward-thinking and open arts organisation.”
Bristol Colston Hall first opened its doors in 1867 and was developed into a rock music venue in the mid-1960s.
Acts who have performed at the venue over the decades include Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, David Bowie, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Thin Lizzy and Iron Maiden.
Bristol trip-hop group Massive Attack have previously refused to perform at Colston Hall while it bears the name of the slave trader.
Bristol Music Trust’s full statement reads:
"Following the Black Lives Matter protests and the removal of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol yesterday, Bristol Music Trust would like to reassert our commitment to changing the name of Colston Hall and give an update on the timescale for doing so.
"We announced three years ago that we would be changing the name as part of the transformation of the Hall, which is currently closed whilst the redevelopment work is taking place. The Hall was built 150 years after Colston died and was not founded with any of his money. The current name does not reflect our values as a progressive, forward-thinking and open arts organisation – we want it to be representative of the city, a beacon of its values of hope, diversity and inclusion.
"A new name was originally planned to be announced in Spring 2020, following a thorough and in-depth consultation process carried out with over 4,000 people from communities all across the city.
"However, COVID-19 has had an impact on the timing of our plans, preventing us from being able to carry out our final round of community engagement. The majority of our staff are now furloughed and our focus has temporarily switched to protecting the future of our organisation, as well as supporting our partners, Bristol’s music community, artists, music teachers and others.
"We understand that the pace of change is important and we are working hard to adapt our plans through the pandemic. We aim to announce a new name that is right for both the Hall and the city in Autumn 2020. There are a number of steps we need to take between now and then, but as a demonstration of our commitment, one of these will be removing the external signage from the building.
"We will provide further updates on this as soon as we are able to. In the meantime, we will continue to listen and learn and reflect on what more we can do as an organisation to make positive change in our city."
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