The future of the LSESU’s Saturday night entertainment, Batteries Not Included, is uncertain after a dispute arose between the night’s promoters.
Having replaced the LSESU’s previous offerings at the beginning of this academic year, Batteries Not Included may already be heading the same way as Afterskool Klub, the Chuckle Club and Exilio, which were discontinued after the summer.
The Beaver has uncovered that issues first arose after Lee Rider, promoter of Batteries Not Included, refused to pay fees to other external promoters. Paul Nickeas, another promoter, was continually avoided by Rider in spite of being owed hundreds of pounds in outstanding fees from an event organised in early December.
Seemingly for this reason, although Rider had already approached Nickeas to book acts for a New Year’s Eve event at the Quad, the event was cancelled and once again Nickeas did not receive compensation.
It was also claimed that Rider similarly refused to pay the promoters of Common People, a collaborative event with James Buckley held in mid-December. Common People was marketed as a rebranding of Batteries Not Included, which had been altered to a monthly event, rather than a weekly one.
Having been hounded by Nickeas and others, Rider finally circulated an email announcing that the night had been cancelled, stating that “sadly, Batteries Not Included is no more.”
However, this statement has been contradicted by the LSESU, who are currently reviewing the situation.
When approached over the issue, LSESU General Secretary Aled Dilwyn Fisher stated that “this is a dispute between two independent promoters and whilst we have no responsibility over this dispute, we have previously encouraged the two parties to rectify the situation.”
Just as a mild correction to your story, After Skool Klub, Exilio and the Chuckle Club, were not “discontinued”.
In the case of After Skool Klub, We were instructed to leave, which was a breach of our contract with LSESU, We were then asked back, and then after some consideration, when we said we were willing and happy to come back, we were told not to.
All three club nights can be found, in rude health on Saturday Nights at KCLSU.
Ha someone just sent me this article; sorry, but I laughed my head off.
“this is a dispute between two independent promoters and whilst we have NO RESPONSIBILITY ( I love this bit ) over this dispute, we have previously encouraged the two parties to rectify the situation.” -Aled Fisher
Aled: although you repeatedly try and shun responsibility for this, you and the other sabbaticals actions, over the previous two years, unequivocally were the catalyst that started this particular ball rolling.
By going on a witch hunt and getting rid of anyone and everyone who made that venue successfully, you’ve effectively killed it. Stone dead.
An extremely successful, always busy, always profitable indie student club night in Central London… to an utterly dead venue. Good lord, what were you lot thinking?
Anyway… I don’t want to gloat on this, but I’m going to anyway; I warned you this would happen ( remember that email ) and it has.
So man up, take it on the chin, have some responsibility for your poor judgement and stop trying to pass the buck. Your fault. Period.
And that’s the last I have to say on this subject because, quite frankly, it’s become tedious and… I’m only really interested in professionals who actually know what they’re doing.