Work is set to start in a popular Cornwall music venue to create a community space after a Crowdfunder raised more than £50,000.

The Cornish Bank in Falmouth said it had come “scarily close” to closure if it hadn’t been able to carry out work essential work towards becoming a “sustainable business in a non-sustainable industry”.

The owners of the venue in Church Street said that were “unbelievably grateful” to this “wonderful” community for such an essential lifeline after raising £54,676.

“We wouldn’t have been able to sustain without you, and we were scarily close to having to shut our doors,” the owners said in a post on Facebook. “We’ve already begun work on the Touc Inn downstairs, which will be ready and open in September, thanks to all of you and we’ve got lots programmed events coming up for the rest of the year and beyond.

“This work is essential for helping us move toward being a sustainable business, in a non-sustainable industry, with our new pub downstairs and gigs plus community events upstairs.”

The extra funding will allow the venue to host a more grassroots music lineup - bringing amazing artists from around the globe to Cornwall.

They hope to be able to offer these gigs at reduced prices for those who cannot afford to access them making art, music and culture accessible for many Since it opened in 2020 The Cornish Bank has hosted nearly one thousand events. Music festivals, band residencies, open mic nights, feasts, cèilidhs, queer nights, art exhibitions, folk sessions and lots and lots of gigs!

But in recent years reduced takings, rising costs and a lack of funding have affected the whole industry.

The Cornish Bank says it is heavily affected by these issues and there are no margins left to cut so they needed a supplementary source of income.

Following advice from Music Venues Trust (MVT) the solution was to create a secondary space at The Cornish Bank, moving the bar downstairs and building The Touc Inn!

They'll be knocking out walls and doorways to have a separate entrance, this will create an alternative setting from the event space, to have a drink and socialise in.

They will also build a new stage to give a platform to fledgling musicians, supporting them at the start of their career. Upstairs, will be open as a community space during the day. It will have increased capacity so more people can go to its gigs, events and workshops.