The Sunday Mail
Josh Hozheri
I was filled with sadness as I read a Mtandazo Dube-authored article in The Sunday Mail issue of January 11 — “Book Cafe drowns in debt”, the headline screamed.
As a music promoter, a venue owner and an arts and culture entrepreneur who has gone through what young Tomas Brickhill is going through at the moment, I know what it feels like to fight for a business to stay open.
Tomas’ father Paul, may his soul rest in peace, must be turning in his grave as the place he fought to open and keep running for most of his life is facing insurmountable challenges just a few months after his death.
I know that Tomas has done nothing wrong, he is merely facing the same problems that I and a lot of other venue operators faced before we finally called it quits.
I fought for my beloved Jazz 105 silently for a long time, tried to reason with landlords, but to no avail. The one BIG problem that venue operators in the central business district are facing right now is that of rentals.
Landlords are not taking into account that pubs, pub-restaurants, bottle stores and night clubs cannot compete with the retail shops that sell clothes. The space required is just not the same and therefore, it is unreasonable to charge the same amount per square metre as that which is charged for a boutique.
The Book Cafe issue is not an isolated case – believe you me most businesspeople who run venues that promote the arts are subsidising these entities. Go into these places and ask the workers when they last got paid and you will be shocked.
Some have not had salaries for the last six months.
They get bus fare, have meals at work and hope for a better day when the sun next comes up.
A look at the venues that have closed shop in the last 12 months alone should send shivers down the spine of any businessperson who is into arts and entertainment or the hospitality industry.
To name a few, Jazz 105 closed down on January 31, 2014 following hard on the heels of Sports Diner, which had shut its doors earlier, then Mega 1 closed down, Airport Lounge followed suit, Zim Cafe also closed and so did Circus Night Club and Roots of Africa.
All these places struggled to stay afloat because landlords were not charging the owners according to what they do.
The downside is that the arts and culture sector will suffer heavily. For instance, when Book Cafe moved from Five Avenue in 2012, its sister club Mannenberg, which hosted theatre productions, poetry clashes, film screenings, et al, did not make it.
Right now there are only four musicians or bands that are commercially viable in this country – the rest are developing artistes who actually benefit more from the exposure than the venue owners get.
Where will these artistes play if Book Cafe closes, if all top clubs and venues that attract respectable crowds close shop?
If we do not come together as venue owners and come up with ways to save our industry – all these venues in town will close down. We are being eaten, one by one.
We need a union, a platform to speak with one voice. Some of these places are closing shop after the owners would have made huge investments, but not having recouped their money.
I am one person who understands the need for venues that mean something, venues that make an artiste.
I watched as the likes of Suluman Chimbetu, Jah Prayzah, Victor Kunonga and Dudu Manhenga, to name just a few – grow to be who they are today through these top joints that have since closed shop.
Where are the next Jah Prayzahs and Dudu Manhengas going to get platforms to perform and test themselves?
If we do not do something now – Harare’s central business district, its surrounding areas and even other smaller towns will end up with just retail clothing shops.
But can we all become boutique owners selling underwear? No.
I could not turn Jazz 105 into a clothing shop — which drinker does not miss that Lion King, which was along Robert Mugabe Road?
Tomas and his team are trying all they can to keep Book Cafe open, yes; it is a decent thing to do. But can they fundraise every day?
