Electronic music promotion group Club Loading have announced that they are giving up the lease of their home base inside the former Tomley’s Market building at 716 Johnson Street.
Club Loading founders Jonas Robinson and Joshua Franklin leased a portion of the building starting in 2023 and converted it into a nightclub.
In May 2024, a letter writing campaign was launched in support of Club Loading after the group ran into permit issues with the City of Victoria. During that time they were working with city officials to navigate through the hurdles to keep hosting events at the venue.
Club Loading announced on Instagram that the decision to give up the lease “comes after months of navigating options with the CoV and the building owner. In the end, the cost to upgrade the building is too much to justify for a short term lease.”
Raino Dance continues to be a tenant in the building
The announcement comes a day before an application by The Other Guise Theatre Society for a $250,000 grant through the city’s Major Community Initiatives and Events Grant program to refinance the building is brought to a Committee of The Whole meeting Thursday November 14, 2024.
The Ladysmith based theatre company purchased the building in late 2022 for $2.4 million with plans to renovate the building a performing arts hub.
The Other Guise Theatre Society projects renovations to the building will cost $1.5 – $2 million.
