Uncertainty over hosts’ future means music is on the move

Last month the Irish Club’s management called an extraordinary meeting of members to try to decide its fate due to struggling finances.

A resolution was put before members for them to have a say, with many fearing the worst for the club in Rebecca Street.

Because of those uncertainities, organisers of the Topic Folk Club, which had met there weekly for the past five years, decided to move out and set up in a new venue.

It will now take up its new residence at Glyde House, Glydegate, Bradford, opposite the ice rink.

Anthony Charnock, of The Topic, said: “The move has been made necessary because of uncertainties at the Irish Club.

“The Topic has been very happy there and wish to place on record their thanks and appreciation for the hospitality shown and for their unwavering support for live music over the past years.”

The Topic will continue to meet every Thursday starting at 8.30pm presenting a mixture of local, national and international folk artists.

The first club event on January 2 will be a singers’ and musicians’ night and the first guest of the 2014 season will be Brighouse-based singer-songwriter Roger Davies on January 9.

To find out about other up-andcoming acts at the Topic’s new Glyde House venue, go to topic-folk-club.org.uk.

“The club has a wonderful line-up for 2014 and is looking forward to an exciting new era at Glyde House,” added Mr Charnock.

Bradford Irish Club is run as a limited company and dates back to the late 19th century when it was formed to provide a social centre for the predominantly Irish Catholic men in the area. It had a number of other homes before settling in Rebecca Street.

Its website says it is open six days a week and closed on Tuesdays except for functions but no-one was at the club yesterday to comment about its long-term future following the extraordinary meeting.

According to some members, the social side of the club had seen a drop in use and so had bar takings.