June 6, 2019 3.19 pm This story is over 63 months old

Historic Boston music venue to be carved up

The Axe and Cleaver hosted live music for 30 years before it closed

One of Boston’s historic music venues is to be chopped up into smaller businesses.

The Axe and Cleaver, which closed at the end of 2016 after 30 years of hosting live acts, was later taken over by Matthew Clark, from ActivGroup.

Now, Mr Clark has been given permission to change the use of the West Street venue for retail, financial services, restaurants and drinking establishments and takeaways.

It is unclear which types of business could go where, but documents before Boston Borough Council say the former venue will be “sub-divided into two retail premises internally this would involve the removal of the bar area and the erection of dividing wall.”

The plans will split the venue into two separate units.

A new door will be created to provide an entry into one of the new units.

The council’s officer said the new uses were appropriate for the town centre and would not be out of place.

They say the use as a cafe would “help to ensure the viability of the use without resulting in any damage to the area.”

The Axe and Cleaver closed in October 2016 with music from local act Crossfire.

Plans for how the front of the venue will look once work is completed.

When he took over the premises in January 2017, Mr Clark said it had “gone under invested for a great deal of time”.

He said: “We have a host of ideas for the premises and hope that our involvement and investment can bring it back to a former glory.”

Mr Clark had previously taken over the Grade II listed Assembly Rooms from Boston Borough Council in November 2012 after it was sold to him for £465,000.

He carried out a £1.25 million investment in the building and reopened it as a nightclub and town venue.


SUBSCRIBE TO LOCAL DEMOCRACY WEEKLY, our exclusive email newsletter with highlights from coverage every week, as well as insights and analysis from our local democracy reporters.