As you all know, our Crooked Crow Bar journey has been a bumpy one to say the least! Having left our brewery-owned former premises when our Landlords retired at the end of 2019, we were so excited to secure the lease to the former Blockbuster Video unit in town and to transform it into an awesome, independent Events Bar! After a whirlwind of sanding, painting, building and decorating, the Crooked Crow Bar launched on 17th January 2020. Of course then we had no idea that a complete sh*tstorm was brewing!!!
On the 19th March 2020, we closed the bar and a week later, the country went into a national lockdown. Well, we wont bang on about what happened next as the C word and it's disastrous impact are still very much fresh in everybody's mind... We were closed for 4 months, then allowed to open with reduced capacity and ever changing restrictions (from seating, curfews, to scotch eggs!) for a few months before being closed down again.
2021 wasn't much better. We had the longest lockdown to date, then we were back to being open with restrictions in place and then at the end of the Summer, the restrictions lifted and we were able to start to get back to normal. At this point, the government pulled all financial support for businesses despite people still being very cautious about returning to normal life and numbers being far lower than what were needed for The Crooked Crow Bar to thrive. But slowly, week by week, we saw those numbers start to grow and we finally began to have hope that we had survived this absolute bum-crack of a situation and that 2022 was going to bring better times for us all. But, true to form, the government had other plans...
The week before Christmas (the week where most venues in the hospitality sector take up to 25% of their annual takings) we were hit by a mass of uncertainty. As the PM was in meetings about possible further restrictions being introduced, the devolved nations announced new rules and the media went into a frenzy about everybody saving Christmas by staying at home. The impact for us was horrendous. The trade that we desperately needed to see us through the usual dead time of January/February was kiboshed and so now, we are hanging on by a wing and a prayer. It's not game over yet, but the stark reality is, we need to get The Crooked Crow to thrive as soon as possible because we simply wont survive any further knock-backs (which in these uncertain times, is terrifying).
Whatever happens, we are proud that we managed to adapt and to hang on for so long, proud of the fantastic bar that we created, of the EPIC nights we were able to host and of the amazing friends that we have made along the way. Let's keep our fingers, legs and toes crossed that the New Year does indeed bring with it better times and that The Crooked Crow Bar goes from strength to strength.
What you can do to help:
In short, we need you to support us. You can do this by coming to see as many events as you can, or just popping in for an after work coffee or beer! By telling your friends about us and spreading the word, be it in person, or sharing our social media posts. We weren't kidding when we said that The Crooked Crow Bar customers are what makes us so great, but it now may very much boil down to: USE US OR LOSE US!
So, with all that said, we plan to continue to host as many events that we can and just hope for the best!
Coming Up:
New Year's Eve with El Bronson
Adios 2021... The super-sexy, moshing amigo's return and using their perverted powers, will be performing iconic, exotic & erotic rock, dance & drum & bass to make sure that 2021 (& 2020!) soon become a distant memory! Viva 2022... The year of great music, beer & sex for every Gringa & Gringo!!
Doors: 8pm
Tickets: £10
Please take a covid test prior to attending and do not attend if you test positive, are isolating or have any covid symptoms (refunds will be issued by prior request). Standing gig. Advanced tickets only.
Friday 7th January: Cinderella
It's our 1st ever Crooked Crow Bar PANTO (Oh yes it is)!!!
A lot of you will remember the other shows that we did in a previous existence (Sleeping Beauty, Snow White & The 7 Levitating Dwarves, Aladdin, Pater Panto, Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz and Romeo & Juliet The Musical) and we are sorry to say that despite the new stage and new location, this is likely to be just as ridiculous as before!!!
The performance will be the classic tale of Cinderella... a poor bar wench, mistreated by her evil Step-mother and ugly step sisters, unable to go to The Golden Ball... But with the help of a fairy, a pumpkin and some kick ass shoes, she might just find her happily ever after!
The show will be jam-packed with awful jokes, excessive drinking, bad language & dubious taste and is therefore not suitable for children, dogs, or those with a sensitive disposition.
Doors: 8pm
Free Entry.
Over 18s Only.
Standing gig + Afterparty
Saturday 8th January: Live Music
That's What She Said!
We will be open Saturday from 12pm with our usual BYO vinyl session! Come and join us and give your favourite vinyl a spin on our twin Technic 1200s and mixer through our fantastic inhouse Studiomaster PA. No prebooking required, friendly atmosphere and all genres welcome.
Then from 8pm we will be getting ready for a night of pop punk awesomeness from That's What She Said. As well as playing all your pop-punk faves, they have a magical way of turning cheesy pop into a pop punk anthem you cant help but to dance to! Free Entry
Keep your eyes on our website and social media as we will be updating them shortly to let you know the amazing events we have lined up for you in 2022!
We hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and we look forward to seeing you all in the new year.
Big Love,
The Crooked Crow Crew
You have conjured a fantastic venue for bands and audience and an "up for it" crowd out of thin air... OK an old Blockbusters, but you've still made it happen!
hello, let me help you as a recent, but huge fan of the CCB - reminds me of the very early days of Friars Aylesbury where I was lucky to work for many years. I’m now a retail property adviser since 1985(!) and have some proven cost saving ideas to help you survive. Contact me on FB Messanger or I will drop in over next few days. Who do I ask for apart from Mr & Mrs Crooked Crow? Toby Comerford
2021 was a crap year for most of us, but being able to get out and see the brilliant events at The Crooked Crow Bar helped to keep us going .... fantastic gigs, be they seated or more recently normal standing / dancing gigs. Great evenings with Owaysis, Slady and that fantastic Paul-Roneey Angel gig on 1st December + all the Castle Comedy evenings with some of the UK's top comedians. 2022 will be even better .... sod Covid ... most of us are jabbed up now so lets get out and catch up on what we've been missing for the last (nearly) 2 years! Hope to see ALL of you out in the New Year!