Near Montpellier: Save the Secret Place with an appeal, a Leetchi kitty and concerts

Located at the gates of Montpellier, the concert hall Secret Place is currently under threat of expulsion. Ordered to pay €55,000 in rent arrears, its managers filed an appeal. To lead the legal battle, a Leetchi prize pool was launched while the venue multiplies events to keep the musical flame alive. Pounding the pavement, supported by thousands of members and volunteers, the Secret Place community is mobilizing like never before.

Near Montpellier: save the Secret Place

The concert hall Secret Place, located in Saint-Jean-de-Védas near Montpellier, is at the center of a real legal and financial storm. Threatened by an expulsion decision ordered by the court of appeal, the management of the venue chose to file an appeal. The latter will challenge the decision solely on the form, not the substance, offering an unexpected respite until the court rules. Me Maxime Martinez, the lawyer representing the room, is optimistic by emphasizing that the Tout à Fond (TAF) association has proven itself in terms of paying rent, despite the difficulties caused by the Covid crisis.

A cassation appeal as a lifeline

Faced with the expulsion order handed down, the TAF association is not giving up and has decided to try what could be the last legal recourse: the cassation appeal. Although the rent arrears amount to the substantial sum of €55,000, the system of cassation gives hope. Indeed, it allows a decision to be reviewed from the angle of compliance with legal procedures. Thus, while awaiting the final decision, TAF stubbornly continues to regularize current payments.

Legal fight and support from the Metropolis

Philippe Pinchon, a key figure at TAF, revealed that he had received significant support. Michaël Delafosse, mayor and president of the Montpellier Métropole has promised three-year funding as part of an emergency plan for struggling performance venues. With subsidies also promised by the Occitanie Region and the Hérault Department, Secret Place can finally breathe a sigh of relief, despite the uncertainty surrounding the actual receipt of this aid. This aid is vital for this organization, which suffered from a mandatory closure during the pandemic, due to periods of lockdown and health restrictions.A Leetchi fundraising campaign for solidarity

To support this costly legal process, a Leetchi fundraising campaign has been launched online. The goal is to raise the necessary funds to cover legal fees amounting to over €10,000. The community, friends of music, and businesses are invited to show solidarity with this iconic organization. This initiative is not unprecedented, as such fundraising campaigns were already a resounding success after the Covid crisis. An effervescent musical program

Alongside its legal and financial strategy, the Secret Place has not lost sight of its primary vocation: to be a temple of the alternative scene. With a rich and diverse program, fans of punk, rock, soul, funk, and rhythm and blues will find something to their liking. Names like Mojo Food, Last Furrous, Hemotomes, Pheuk, and Rolling Raccoons attract music lovers. These concerts are not just events, but an act of cultural resistance.

Expanding horizons to survive

Faced with these challenges, TAF is adapting and opening up to cultural categories other than traditional rock. Gospel and music schools, rap collectives, and digital workshops now enrich the artistic offerings of the Secret Place . In addition, renting the venue for various activities at a very competitive rate reinforces its appeal. The musical excitement here, with an outdoor space and a musical ecosystem, becomes a real breath of fresh air.