Glasgow music venue and pub thanks fans for pulling together to save it during pandemic

One of Glasgow's most popular live music venues has paid tribute to regulars that saved them from closure during the pandemic.

McChuills in Trongate, like most hospitality businesses, was struggling to stay afloat during lockdown when all pubs and restaurants were forced to close. They used up all their revenue and were just days from having to close permanently. But customers, music artists and locals pulled together to raise £30,000 and keep the pub from closure.

McChuills, which was founded in 1993, thanked people for saving the venue. Taking to Facebook, they said: "From the day we opened in 1993, we’ve tried to run this place as a community hub, a place where the people who come in aren’t punters, they’re family. The McChuills family, to be precise.

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"The response we received was nothing short of overwhelming, with us raising over half of the £30k target in just the first 24 hours. Over the course of the next three weeks, folk donated, bought merch, sold their own merch, raised money and shared the campaign across the world."

Artists like Lewis Capaldi, The Snuts, Primal Scream and the Pogues all helped spread the word of the fundraiser and saved McChuills just before they were going to have to close.

"The very day we should have been dead, we were given a new lease of life. Needless to say, there were some tears shed that night. And it’s all thanks to each and every one of you who stepped up when we needed you and we will never, ever forget it.

"Four years on, not only are we still here, but we’re positively thriving. McChuills is arguably the best it’s ever been and it feels like it’s still getting better all the time.

"So once again, thank you all, from the bottom of our hearts."

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