The popular monthly event bringing free live music to the town of Dursley is back for the summer of 2023, beginning this Friday 19 May at 7pm under the town marketplace.
“Dursley After Hours was conceived in 2021 as a way to support the town’s high street recover from the pandemic,” says founding member and town councillor Danae Savvidou.
“By encouraging people into the centre to buy food and drink from local retailers, as well as to give people a fun and family-friendly night out. We ran events through the summers of 2021 and 2022 to great success with people giving really positive feedback how much they enjoyed it.”
Generously supported by a grant from Dursley Town Council, Dursley After Hours aims to support local musical talent. “From the start we wanted to be able to pay musicians for their performances,” says Doina Cornell, district councillor for the town and also a founder member. “We have always got amazing musicians and groups from the area or with local connections.”
On Friday 19 May music duo Mollie Swain and Jack Critchlow will be performing jazz standards. Talented local musical student Mollie performed at the 2021 inaugural event.
Founder member Wendy Thomas, also county councillor for Dursley, welcomed two new faces to the team. “I’m really pleased Dursley’s former mayor Symon Ackroyd has now joined us, as he helped out over the winter, with a series of free events in Chantry Centre entitled Dursley After Hours Undercover and which raised money for the #warmGL11 initiative. Newly moved to the area, Tom Meadowcroft has also signed up to help and is looking forward to the summer’s events.”
Next events will be monthly on Fridays, on 9th June, 21 July, 18 August and 15 September. Follow Dursley After Hours on Facebook for news of which musicians will be playing or pick up one of our postcards in the town as a reminder of the dates.
