Doghouse Closure - It ain't over 'til the fat lady sings

[Admin]

Well you're entitled to your view of course but Dundee City Councillors had no knowledge in advance of the impending action by their Finance Department. We have received strong support from individual councillors for a rescue plan suitable for the administrators and privately some have agreed this could have been handled differently while also recognising that we, The Doghouse could have acted differently as well - we do not dispute this.

January/February is the worst period of the year for our cashflow. Everybody's skint after Christmas/New Year and certainly nobody wants to sit in our beer garden during the day when it's -4C. If we were rolling in cash then of course all bills would be paid on time. The bitter irony is that we are in a far better position this year than we've been in previous years and had we realised that sequestration was imminent, something would have been done to raise money in advance.

One possible factor is that Sarah (the licensee) moved house a few months ago and it may be paperwork was sent to the old address. It seems it is not that uncommon for people to be declared bankrupt without ever receiving any paperwork due to address mix-ups. In any case we do not dispute that money is owed and we fully intend to pay.

Punch Taverns and the business accountants continue to express full support for the existing staff and management of The Doghouse - and they've seen the books.

The police continue to investigate the weekend break-in which we fear may have panicked the administrators into heavy-handed action on Tuesday. As there is an ongoing investigation we can't give any more details other than to say our security procedures meant there was no significant loss.

And as for your comment about The View, they are right behind us as you will see if you bother to read the Daily Record story (and others) linked above.

[Cari]

Hi guys,

Just popping in to show my support, I am totally gutted with the closure and how its been handled so disgracefully, with so much unemployment in Dundee at the moment, and so many closures of the larger businesses around the city almost on a daily basis, the measly! sum of £10.000 due by The Doghouse (which in business terms is measly!),even with the retrieval of this amount it is hardly going to purchase more than a few tiles for the multi million pound swimming pool or be enough to paint the lines inside yet another multi million pound multi storey car park & shopping centre due to be built, do we really need these? with shops in the OVERGATE unused, and almost half of the WELLGATE empty, and shops laying empty through the town between both the shopping precincts!,and also with this contract i have no doubt the contract to build these new premises shall go to companies outwith Dundee and probably outwith Scotland!, keeping Dundee's already high unemployment statistics rising, so why close a venue that brings people into Dundee, host and helps promote bands and stops influencial music industries looking to us and thinking, YES Dundee is the right place and has the right talent and interest in up and coming music, we'll shoot our video here, hold our concert..... hold our festival here!.

The Doghouse means so much to the music loving people of Dundee, it is an important landmark, it is a beautiful building (i'm sure someone thinks it would make a nice house or flats.... F*** OFF! its our place to wind down, chill out, relax, jump, dance, scream & sing!) it has a very valuable musical history and features some of the most stunning artwork, it does bring people from all over scotland TO dundee for gigs,and they are becoming a well known musical venue with bigger well established bands playing at the venue, if it wasn't for the Doghouse, Dundee would not be so well known for their vast amounts of musical talent which comes out of Dundee and plays host to the bands of the towns and cities surrounding the CITY OF DISCOVERY!...... maybe they should start by discovering this s a city of MUSIC!.

Rant over........ Cari.xxx.

[Eezergood]

Hi guys,

Just popping in to show my support, I am totally gutted with the closure and how its been handled so disgracefully, with so much unemployment in Dundee at the moment, and so many closures of the larger businesses around the city almost on a daily basis, the measly! sum of £10.000 due by The Doghouse (which in business terms is measly!),even with the retrieval of this amount it is hardly going to purchase more than a few tiles for the multi million pound swimming pool or be enough to paint the lines inside yet another multi million pound multi storey car park & shopping centre due to be built, do we really need these? with shops in the OVERGATE unused, and almost half of the WELLGATE empty, and shops laying empty through the town between both the shopping precincts!,and also with this contract i have no doubt the contract to build these new premises shall go to companies outwith Dundee and probably outwith Scotland!, keeping Dundee's already high unemployment statistics rising, so why close a venue that brings people into Dundee, host and helps promote bands and stops influencial music industries looking to us and thinking, YES Dundee is the right place and has the right talent and interest in up and coming music, we'll shoot our video here, hold our concert..... hold our festival here!.

The Doghouse means so much to the music loving people of Dundee, it is an important landmark, it is a beautiful building (i'm sure someone thinks it would make a nice house or flats.... F*** OFF! its our place to wind down, chill out, relax, jump, dance, scream & sing!) it has a very valuable musical history and features some of the most stunning artwork, it does bring people from all over scotland TO dundee for gigs,and they are becoming a well known musical venue with bigger well established bands playing at the venue, if it wasn't for the Doghouse, Dundee would not be so well known for their vast amounts of musical talent which comes out of Dundee and plays host to the bands of the towns and cities surrounding the CITY OF DISCOVERY!...... maybe they should start by discovering this s a city of MUSIC!.

Rant over........ Cari.xxx.

what she said xx

[specky sid]

So much for the support of the Edinburgh crew,what would they Know about the egrenomics of a Dundee club,hope no to see you soon.

[sarah hill]

To the edinburgh crew? Sarah here, You are missing the point! There would be NO doghouse if 'the management' had not been there. I started the doghouse on a shoestring budget and managed to build a good music venue and keep it going for 4 and a half years on pennies. Get the facts right I did pay the taxes! Rates were the reason I was closed and the actual figure that took me to court was £2000!! You talk about uneducated or unprofessional and then go on to say where are the View now?! They are getting on with their careers as any good band should but have made me aware they will help if they can. The doghouse was only a good venue as I juggled like a maniac!! I find your comments insulting when you nothing about how the dog was formed or how it managed to survive after that. If you have anything decent or helpful or even knowledgeable then please feel free other than that why bother!!

[Thegoodnights]

Well said xx

[Doghouse lover]

yeah sarah....u tell they defeatists...

we dont need negative ppl like that...if ur behind us, get behind us!...if u aint..keep ur comments to urself and fuck off!

or if ur so confident...start up ur own forum against wot we r tryn to achieve n see how far u get!

xXx

Peace love and bring back the doghouse!

[ALBREIT]

HAVANA SWING MANOUCHE BAND FROM DUNDEE ARE PREPARED TO PLAY A FREE OF CHARGE GIG IN DUNDEE TO HELP THE DOGHOUSE. WE PLAYED THERE ONCE AND THE ATMOSPHERE IS TERRIFIC. A GREAT VENUE AND ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUNG BANDS TO START OFF AND PERHAPS BECOME NOTORIOUS. I FEEL STRONGLY ABOUT THIS AND WISH TO HELP. THE VIEW AND THE LAW ALSO SHOULD TRY AND DO SOMETHING TO HELP AND ANY OTHER MUSICAL OUTFIT WHO HAS APPEARED AT THIS GREAT VENUE. THE MONEY OWED IS NOT THAT MUCH I BELIEVE IN THE REGION OF £11000 AND THIS AMOUNT CAN BE RAISED FAIRLY QUICKLY IF PEOPLE GET OFF THEIR ARSES. HAVANA SWING MAY BE CONTACTED THRU THEIR WEBSITE : http://WWW.HAVANASWING.COM/DEV.

LETS DO SOMETHING NOW TO HELP THIS GREAT VENUE AND THE PERSON THAT RUNS IT. BECAUSE THEY HAVE HELPED LOTS OF BANDS. NOW IT'S THE TIME TO HELP AND DO IT FAST.

ALAN
HAVANASWING

[gedme]

I hope the dog house opens soon it is a great place and Dundee needs it cmon open open

[Aye N Aye]

Bring the fight on! Aye n Aye are your servents. We will play at and support any fundraiser for the Doghouse. This venue is too good to lose and I am sure everyone who has ever played ther will agree! We can't thank Sarah, chris and all the staff enough for all the support you have given us and other bands! Keep the Doghouse open. Thanks for so many happy memories.

Aye n Aye