Music / Thekla
New film revealing what it took to save Thekla
Last summer saw the beloved Thekla sail into dry dock for a £1 million renovation, it’s been a staple for gig-goers and clubbers since 1983 and some TLC was well overdue. It saw up to 50 workers at the Albion Dockyard take on the herculean task of installing a brand new steel hull. It involved 100 tonnes of steel, three tonnes of weld wire and an immeasurable amount of love and hard work to ensure that Thekla will remain a hub for local and touring artists alike.
A new film has been released by DHP Family, the owners of Thekla, featuring brand new footage of the effort it took to save Thekla, featuring Bristol legends Roni Size and IDLES. Speaking in the film, Roni Size shares: “I hope it outlives me. Long may it last.”
Thekla general manager Alex Black said: “A life at sea combined with almost four decades in the music industry had taken its toll on the ship’s hull and it was time to do a little more than just patch it up. Manufacturing and installing the new hull was a huge project and a mammoth undertaking for all involved but it should ensure Thekla’s structural longevity for around 50 years. It would be devastating to lose such a prominent venue from the Bristol scene. Like all music venues in the UK, we have a lot of uphill battles to remain operational but fortunately for us the ship’s integrity is no longer one of them.”
All images by David Jeffrey-Hughes
To watch Bristol Music Royalty Roni Size and Idles Feature In New Film Revealing What It Took To Save Thekla, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37BveEPQXuY
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