For a week that started with a celebration of Employee Ownership, it was a fitting pivot to end it on a recognition of ‘Community Ownership’. As of October, the iconic Joiners Arms in Southampton is now owned by Music Venue Properties, a charitable community benefit society (CBS), established to take grassroots music venues out ofContinueContinue reading “The Joiners becomes Community Owned”
Author Archives: Liam
Grapevine named EO Rising Star 2025
I returned home from my second from eoa Conference yesterday with a couple of souvenirs, lots of insights and some great memories. I’m not sure if it was more surreal winning EO Rising Star of the Year, or to see these signs on the show floor the morning after! I’m still trying to articulate howContinueContinue reading “Grapevine named EO Rising Star 2025”
Blue Sky Blondes reunion
Here’s a story about one of the unexpected bonuses of employee ownership. Last year I went to the eoa Annual Conference in Telford to represent Grapevine on my own. Knowing this, Emma Hardy from Blue Sky Financial Planning invited me to join her, Lesley Keets and Theresa Osborne for dinner when we arrived ahead ofContinueContinue reading “Blue Sky Blondes reunion”
November 2025 Mixtape
Tracklisting: 01. crushed – exo02. Empress Of – Blasting Through the Speakers03. ELLUM, Transviolet – Midnight Bloom04. Magdalena Bay – Paint Me A Picture05. St. Lucia – People Change06. Purple Disco Machine feat. Jake Shears – Fire + Ice07. TWRP – My Big Day Off08. London Elektricity, Danny Byrd – Echoes In The Dance09. SubContinueContinue reading “November 2025 Mixtape”
Beer Tours: Bristol
The Barley Mow, 39 Barton Road, St Philip’s, Bristol, BS2 0LF The Beer Emporium, 15 King Street, Bristol BS1 4EF Bristol Beer Factory, 291 North Street, Southville, Bristol, BS3 1JP The Christmas Steps, 2 Christmas Steps, Bristol, BS1 5BS The Famous Royal Navy Volunteer, 17-18 King Street, Bristol, BS1 4EF Fierce & Noble, 25 MinaContinueContinue reading “Beer Tours: Bristol”
Beer Tours: Cardiff
Head of Steam, 18-19 Church Street, Cardiff, CF10 1BG Kongs, Hodge House, 114-116 St Mary Street, Cardiff, CF10 1DY Mad Dog Brewery, 7-19 Castle Street, Cardiff, CF10 1BS Pipes, 183A Kings Road, Pontcanna, Cardiff, CF11 9DF Scaredy Cats Cafe Bar, 16 Working Street, St Davids Centre, Cardiff, CF10 1GN Tiny Rebel, 25 Westgate Street, Cardiff,ContinueContinue reading “Beer Tours: Cardiff”
25 years of Less Than Jake’s ‘Borders & Boundaries’
TL;DR – Borders & Boundaries is my favourite Less Than Jake album. It turns 25 today. There may be records in their back catalogue that sound better, bigger hits may be housed elsewhere, but in viewing albums as a consistent line of thought, this is the band’s greatest success, in my humble opinion. The name andContinueContinue reading “25 years of Less Than Jake’s ‘Borders & Boundaries’”
Beer Tours: Dublin
The Porterhouse, 16-18 Parliament Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, D02 VR94, Ireland Tapped Late Bar, 47 Nassau Street, Dublin, D02 RP20, Ireland The Palace Bar, 21 Fleet Sreet, Temple Bar, Dublin 2, D02 H950, Ireland Guinness Storehouse, St. James’s Gate, Dublin 8, D08 VF8H, Ireland The Brew Dock, 1 Amiens Street, Mountjoy, Dublin 1, IrelandContinueContinue reading “Beer Tours: Dublin”
October 2025 Mixtape
Tracklisting: 01. Ben Folds – When We Were Light02. HUNNY – i can see my house from here03. Motion City Soundtrack (feat. Sincere Engineer) – Things Like This04. King Princess – Cry Cry Cry05. Punchline – I Will Wait06. SKAAR – Missing Out07. Pixie Lott – Coming Of Age08. Dolores Forever – Dreams09. Hatchie -ContinueContinue reading “October 2025 Mixtape”
Me and the music
Live music is back on Poole Hill in Bournemouth, courtesy of The Vault venue and Coach Party, one of my new favourite bands from the past few years, who headlined the first ‘gig’ put on here, in what is primarily a nightclub. Some of you may remember this venue as being The Winchester around 10ContinueContinue reading “Me and the music”
Comfort in Sound revisited
Last week I went to see Feeder play their 2002 album Comfort in Sound live in full at Brixton Academy. The jury continues to be out for me on whether album shows ‘work’. I’ve seen quite a few over the past couple of decades, some just don’t convert from record to the stage, that wasContinueContinue reading “Comfort in Sound revisited”
Tech Futures at the National Oceanography Centre
It’s a privilege to be in a position where I regularly have days away from my desk to listen and learn from others. This isn’t lost on me on these occasions and yesterday was no exception. At a time when H.I. (human intelligence) appears to be somewhat lacking in society, education feels like an antidoteContinueContinue reading “Tech Futures at the National Oceanography Centre”
Liam Toms 