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An historic narrowboat converted into a floating music venue called The Village Butty, and based in the Banbury area, has secured a grant to fund a 10 day cross-arts festival supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. ‘Tooley’s Arts Festival 2024’ will run from 3rd – 12th October at Tooley’s Historic Boatyard and coincide with Banbury’s annual Canal Festival.
Built in 1958 as Vanadium, the Village Butty is one of the very last iron riveted butty boats built by the well known Harris Brothers of Netherton. One of six identical vessels completed for the fleet of Hardy Spicers Engineering, for transport between different sections of their factory on the BCN (Birmingham Canal Navigation). In 2013 James Bentley bought the vessel with the aim of using it as a community asset within the Inland waterways boating community, trading under the name “The Village Butty”. For six years Vanadium served this community as a meeting place and arts venue in the London area. It won a prestigious ‘Living Waterways Award’ in 2019 for Best Arts Venue. A combination of ill health and covid forced Mr Bentley to sell and Richard Guard and Anna Crockatt became the new owners in 2021. With the aid of a grant from Arts Council England they have renovated the vessel, ensuring that there will be minimal deterioration in the foreseeable future.
Richard and Anna Crockatt were awarded the grant after staging last year’s very successful tester event – ‘Dry Dock ‘n’ Roll’ - which featured three nights of spectacular music in the dry dock.
“We are totally thrilled that Arts Council England has recognised our commitment to promoting great art in unique venues, and it’s brilliant that we can bring more fantastic music, theatre, comedy and art to Banbury and put it all on in Tooley’s awesome dry dock” Richard said.
Anna added “Tooley’s dry dock is a truly magical place to enjoy the arts. Last year we had to do everything on a shoestring. This grant means we can be bigger, better, and bolder and make the very most out of the 255 year old dry dock which is so rarely open to the public. We plan to transform it into the best venue in Oxfordshire for 10 nights of unforgettable top quality entertainment.”
Tooley's Boatyard - one of National Historic Ships UK's Shipshape Network Heart of England projects - is situated in the heart of Banbury on the South Oxford Canal and has one of the oldest, continually working dry dock on the Inland Waterways, working continuously since 1778. The site also includes a blacksmith's forge and carpenter's workshop used for building parts for traditional wooden boats, as well as providing specialist services and sales for boaters including boat building and repairs, painting, blacking, chandlery, training and certification in boat handling. Tooley's was also the birthplace of the movement to rescue Britain's canals from neglect and decay. Today, Tooley's Boatyard Trust promotes the history and heritage of Tooley's Boatyard and provides guided tours of the boatyard and boat trips.
Anna and Richard, who co-own the Village Butty, an award winning arts venue in its own right, want to make the festival an annual event and an important date on the national arts calendar.
Anna said “Last year it was just three nights, this year it’s ten. Ideally in the future we’d like to collaborate with other venues and promoters in Banbury to get really cool stuff going on all over the place and create a real buzz around town.”
Richard, who was the front man in legendary Banbury band Bone Idle and the Layabouts in the mid 1980’s, said “Our stated aim is to ‘Increase the Overall Jollity of the Nation’ and we’ll be touring the canals this summer visiting the Braunston Historic Boat Rally and Cropredy festival doing that, so it is lovely that we can end our season with a big bang back in my home town.”
Banbury resident Fiona Linnitt, 44, who attended all three nights last year, told The Guardian “It really was the best thing that’s ever happened in the town. I’m going to go to every single night again, I can’t wait!”
The line-up is still awaiting final confirmation but will feature local, national and international talent. Early bird tickets - at 30% reduction - for the whole festival are on sale now for £100 at www.villagebutty.com for what promises to be ten very special nights.
For further information contact:
Richard Guard 07968 331 828
Anna Crockatt 07988 832 749
Photo courtesy of The Village Butty
