An 11th hour appeal has been made to save Sugar Rush and Stage Door Arts Academy from losing their new home in Ramsgate High Street.
The former WHSmith premises was taken over by Sugar Rush and SDA on February 15 this year with plans to convert the building into a community theatre, café, performance space, speakeasy style bar, studios, offices and more.
The 5,095 Sq. Ft unit was taken on by the performing arts school and community café after the need to move from 66 High Street due to that site being earmarked for demolition and redevelopment.
Mum-of-two Heidi Moran founded SDA in 2007 and converted it to CIC status last year. She has also run businesses ranging from tepee hire to princess parties and the café which started life in Margate Old Town in 2017 before the move to Ramsgate in 2020.
This year an army of volunteers have transformed much of the building. This has included creating Salon Du Miel cabaret bar upstairs, co-working spaces, redecoration, new flooring, toilets, storage and a new café area.
But Heidi says the building was in a very poor state and this delayed some of the works, initially holding up plans for events to help raise money for costs and rent.
And now Sugar Rush is faced with having to pay £10.5k to the landlord by Friday, with £9.5k of that still to raise, or be kicked out.
Heidi said: “The building was left in a much worse condition than anticipated after the contractors ripped out what was left of WHSmith and that created a few delays, but we are now on track and have made so much progress.
“We have started hosting great events, we rehoused the Ramsgate Festival of Sound at the very last minute due to the weather, the coffee shop is about open, we have had an exhibition (by photographer Mike Goldwater), are ready to start the performing arts school and have community groups booked up.
“The deadline for us to have all of the money to the landlord for insurances, rent etc is on Friday. “We were hoping that this would all be achieved by hosting events that would cover these costs, but the delays meant we haven’t quite hit that target and the landlord wants us out on Friday if we don’t hit that.
“The whole project has been about community. It is a CIC, not for profit, so the events that happen there will pay the costs of the venue, rents/rates/utilities, and then if any extra it will go towards funding community projects in the space. Everything done on the building so far has been via grassroots fundraising and donations at a community level, holding events, fundraisers, a jus giving page and the support from locals has been astounding.
“We have been blown away by the kindness of people wanting to volunteer and get behind the project. We just need help on this final push.
“We have applied for funding for various future projects, but these all take time and fund the specific project rather than the costs of the building itself.
“It is such a unique project, nothing currently exists like it around here, and in such a central location. This is to house an affordable theatre space, both for hirers and audience, multiple studio spaces, a cabaret venue for upcoming artists, rehearsal rooms, coffee shop, co-working spaces, gallery space and community groups (baby and toddler, LGBTIQQ+, neuro diverse, sober socials) bringing a whole range of society together for events. We are right at the last hurdle and it would be such a shame to lose it after six months hard work.
“We are looking for any help at all, sponsorship, donations, fundraisers, angels.”
It is hoped the project can be saved so phase 3 of the build, for the theatre, dressing rooms, signs and tech spaces, can be completed.
The aim is to create at least a dozen jobs and continued volunteer roles. Funds already raised of circa £14.5k have gone on mainly rent and fees to the landlord, trade materials, stock for the café and utilities.
