Peckham space Tola is appealing for help after suffering a £30,000 break-in.
Tola is one of South London’s most-loved independent music spaces, with its programming blending club culture with live performance. Over the weekend, however, Tola experienced a break-in, with thieves seizing equipment, money, and damaging property.
In a statement, the team at the venue write: “We arrived at TOLA on Friday 28th August to discover that the venue had been broken into. The people responsible had pretty much cleaned us out.”
“Our DJ equipment was gone. Parts of our sound system were gone. Thousands of pounds’ worth of bar stock had been taken. Our till systems had been stolen. And on top of everything they took, they caused extensive damage to the venue.”
The statement notes the lingering impact of COVID and the spiralling costs of energy, while also re-affirming the determination of safe to keep going.
It reads: “We’ve managed to overcome everything that’s been thrown at us over the last few years, but this break-in could be the thing that finally pushes TOLA beyond what a small independent venue can withstand. We don’t want that to happen, so we’re asking our community for help.”
“We’re raising money to get TOLA back on its feet, replace what was stolen and give the venue the breathing room it needs to keep going.”
Tola have lauched a crowdfunder, and you can get involved right now.
Check out a video message from the team at Tola below.
