AN INDEPENDENT bar in Boscombe has received £249,442 thanks to the government's Culture Recovery Fund.

Chaplin's & The Cellar Bar on Christchurch Road is one of the five “cultural gems” in Dorset to receive support from the government after applying for the grant in August.

Chaplin's owner Harry Seccombe is delighted with this outcome after months of uncertainty.

He said: "We are absolutely delighted to receive this grant from the Culture Recovery Grant. It will secure jobs and fund a seven day a week programme of events from November 6 to March 31. This is great news for the creative music and arts scene in Boscombe and the wider BCP area.

"It's a tremendous achievement for the bar and for Boscombe.We have been dealt a blow by the events of this year, so this fund is to help us recover. In the arts realm, this is good value for money.

"Our hearts go out to others in the night-time economy and events industry who are struggling and were not eligible or successful in their funding bids."

The money given to Chaplin's must be used towards the entertainment and artistic aspect of the business, focusing on live and streamed events.

With money secured to help Harry host events at Chaplin's, he is also focusing is efforts on making the bar more accessible by introducing wheelchair access and a restaurant.

Mr Seccombe added: "This grant really does show how much we spend on live acts and events. The events we host are free which is why we don't make any profit. The restaurant will help that side of the business by raising some profit for Chaplin's."

The money raised from the award-winning bar's Crowdfunder page will go towards a special community event in the future to thank those who have supported Chaplin's during these unprecedented times.

This has been put on the back-burner while Mr Seccombe arranges how to spend the grant.

He said: "It's a staggering amount of money and we have a lot of work to do. We have to ensure that the performance side of the business is Covid-19 secure."

To keep up to date with upcoming events and news from Chaplin's, visit Chaplins & The Cellar Bar on Facebook.