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Anonymous punter gives fat cheque boost to Mello Mello appeal
£3,000 'tip' takes total one third of the way with just 11 days to go
AN anonymous donor has helped Mello Mello reach the first milestone in its appeal for survival, by handing a £3,000 "tip" to bar staff.
It takes the total raised in the last 10 days to more than £11,000, but with the clock ticking to an April 26 deadline, there's still another £19,000 to find.
The fate of the popular Slater Street arts venue, cafe and creative hub was thrown into turmoil when the building's owners Concert Square Steps and Arthouse Square, went into receivership last August. The premises, which was renovated from derelict by staff and volunteers, was put up for sale last month as part of a wider property portfolio in the Ropewalks area.
Deposit
The successful Mello Mello community interest company, which runs the operation that includes dance and music studios and a cafe, put in an offer - and that was accepted.
However there was – and still is - the small question of the mortgage deposit.
An appeal was launched on donations website Indigogo on April 5 to raise £30,000 which the bank wants to see a guarantee of by the end of the month (friends and family had already been tapped for a further £10,000 before the appeal went public).
This Glamorous Mello Mello
T-Shirt Can Be
Yours For A Donation here Mello Mello manager Rob Longson said: “One of our customers passed an envelope across the counter last week when he was getting up to leave. We didn't take much notice at first. But we were shocked when we opened it later in the office upstairs and discovered a cheque for £3,000.
"It's really encouraging and we're delighted. He's insisted on staying anonymous, but we'll remember him for a long time."
Rob added: “We've been overwhelmed by the support we've received from customers and fans who don't want to see Mello Mello go.
“But there is a very real danger of that if we can't reach this target fast.”
Those donating here can claim a number of rewards, such as Mello T shirts, mugs, a day's worth of recording in the music studio with an experienced producer and engineer – and even your face as a cake.
Rob said: “At a time when many of Liverpool's most loved independent businesses and venues are closing for good, we have a real chance of securing a future for Liverpool's grassroots creative scene with people's help.”
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18 comments so far, continue the conversation, write a comment.
Come on people, put your hands in your pockets
Lower your prices to appeal to the real people of Liverpool, not just middle class hipsters who like to think they're cool "hippies".
I'm one of the real people of Liverpool and I am neither a cool hippie, an uncool hippie or a hipster. If I were any of these, I would spend my time in Leaf, but I can't afford to do that.
This isn't about the demographic of Mello's customers or them lowering their prices (which are actually quite reasonable when compared with similar Liverpool venues), it's about raising money to keep them in business at their current location. So do one with your hipster hating rhetoric and donate some money to the cause! I sincerely hope Mello reach their target.
£10 for a bottle of decent wine is pretty good to me
The tea is so much cheaper than leaf as well, the tea in leaf gets you about a cup and a third for £3 while mellows you'd get a jug of tea with 7 cups for that.
Cheeky bastards
Too many 'Anonomi' for my liking...
The food and the drinks are very reasonably priced, especially given the fact that they are such good quality. All the profit is reinvested for the greater good. Seems like the anonymous critique is groundless.
Nothing wrong with a few hippies from time to time anyway...
Long live Mello Mello!
Time for prevarication is over. If you want to save Mello for the long-term, make your donation TODAY.
I second Larry's comment - put your money where your likes are people!
Interesting to note that on the Indigogo giving page, more than 2,000 people have "liked" the idea of donating to save Mello, but fewer than 400 actually have reached for their plastic.
If you are prepared to just give the electronic thumbs up to issues in life, while playing Minecraft, then don't be surprised when you look up one day to find all the things worth liking and worth fighting for in the real world - the things that impact on your quality of life - have disappeared while you were puffing your chest out for your online "friends".
You can't take your Facebook account to your grave with you, but you can take experience.
Melo Melo expect the community to pay their way! Still beggars belief and that is what they've done! Why should we subsidise? Red Kitchen around the corner are half the price and Leaf IS Lush & better value! - The patrons are wealthy enough and comfortably off it is a well known fact. It was always the owners business and own responsibility to secure a mortgage and not the already paying customers! CIC status? . . . Yet high street prices and after all the customer donations the rooms for hire are still damp and shoddy.
Lovely independent Leaf was bankrolled by Liverpool City Council to the tune of tens of thousands of pounds, I think you'll find. How did they do that?
Your entire argument was in tatters the moment you mentioned Red Kitchen as somewhere to spend any time whatsoever in.
No we lunch at Leaf darling and frequent the better equipped venues in town Red Kitchen do a great cooked breakfast just over £3.00 the point I made is pricing. We all know Melo Melos owners are wealthy enough and not short of funds it's a well known fact and your own pals were gassing over on Lark Lane informed us you'd already profited and have done very well! Melo Melo is no CiC! You slate your neighbouring business well there breakfast IS better you don't beat it or the breakfast in Leaf. Scroungers the proprietors are! It was commonly felt last year by many. The premises are a disgrace and a health and safety risk in many areas. Rooms hired out and noise pollution from the bar below often, I think its time to challenge the CIC status here and the health and safety concerns I'd rather Leaf had taken over or a brewery even just for the building to be refurbished - CIC Melo, Melo, poppycock! Prices the same as Santa Chupitos, The Attic or Salt Dogs you can even get a bottled beer for £1.50 in Heebie Jeebies, I'd rather get a pizza and sit in the Peacock. Some food is hit and miss and bland. A latte is so small I felt deprived and out of pocket and after the the meanest slice of polenta cake we ain't ever going back and it's time others followed suit! CIC put into the community or pay taxes like the rest of us regular businesses!
Why should paying customers ever have even been asked to bankroll them! Interesting to note that on the Indigogo giving page, more than 2,000 people have "liked" the idea of donating to save Mello, but fewer than 400 actually have reached for their plastic. Because its a business and we pay the going rate for shabby loos with rising damp throughout the lower floor students are fleeced CIC . . . support the Brink folks amazing food fresh produce and value and lovely loo's. What does Mello Mello stand for? Boycott anyone taking from the city council and begging. I'd like to see the Seel Street proprietors buy out and develop the place.