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The Loft and the BNP

Nottingham clubber | 19.12.2009 18:07 | Anti-racism

The Loft on Mansfield Road in Nottingham, has recently reopened to much fanfare in indie publications like the Left Lion. Apparently the venue will serve "morally conscious" food, and "organic, fair trade and vegan wines" as well as "actively supporting and showcasing Nottingham's culture and arts scene". However, the venue appears to have been bought by none other than Finbar Bryson, widely criticised for being on the leaked BNP membership list and for his anti-Muslim racism. Has Mr Bryson really turned his back on the BNP or is he just cynically milking 'ethical' capitalism for his own benefit?

According to the Left Lion "The new team behind [The Loft] are none other than the chaps behind Blueprint" which indicates Bryson and his South African wife. Blueprint has been closed since the summer whilst the club's Facebook site promised that they would be moving to a new venue in the city centre.

In 2008, Mr Bryson's name made the news after it was found on the leaked BNP membership list. Speculation had been mounting for some time after allegations that he had shown his BNP membership card to a fellow train passenger and various reactionary posts by a Finbar Bryson of Nottingham were found on internet news sites. Mr Bryson denied that he was a member of the party but avoided answering questions about his views on Muslims and asylum seekers.

Amongst other things, Bryson had posted that "I’m a member of the BNP and my partner is black and feels more strongly about the mess this once great nation is in than I do" and that "As the calibre of person joining the BNP continues to grow the party will get stronger and stronger". He also claimed that "BNP patrols have reduced anti-social behaviour-FACT." Of Unite Against Fascism members he said "We should be hanging the traitors who have sold this country down the river".

Bryson recounted his Christian friend Fadi's "shock that Muslims were being granted asylum in the UK" and spoke about the "creeping Islamisation of the West". He claimed that "The reason for uncontrolled mass migration becmes clearer by the day-more votes for Labour to replace those like myself who have been betrayed". According to Bryson "The overwhelming majority [of asylum seekers] are not genuine [...] Fleeing persecution??!!You’re being conned." He stated that "My partner works as an interpretor and the stories and tales being spun would make Mr.BLiar and his search for WMD seem believable." His conclusion: "No to non-Christian asylum seekers and no to all economic migrants who offer this country no benefits". According to Bryson "in NU Labour Britain [being white] in itself is a crime."

When some of these revelations were made on the Notts Indymedia website, Mr Bryson threatened that "when i identify the individual(s) who have slandered me... with your ‘anti fascist’ views i will pursue you vigorously as i’m sure you’re well aware. As any good Physics student knows for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction". Later he posted "It will be most interesting to find out who is behind this".

The fallout for Blueprint, the club that Bryson ran at the time, was quite severe as a number of profitable nights pulled out. One of those was DEMO, which billed itself as an 'ethical clubnight' and had held benefits for NGOs working with asylum seekers. It seems that Bryson is happy to swallow his political views when there is money to be made. The "organic, fair trade and vegan wines" served at his new venue The Loft seem to continue in this tradition.

It is surprising that the Left Lion enthusiastically promotes The Loft just a page after an article on Love Music, Hate Racism and in the same issue as a number of anti-EDL pieces. It can't be that they don't know about Bryson's past as it has been discussed at length on their forum ( http://www.leftlion.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=17129.175). Have they had an apology from Bryson about his reactionary views and how he's turned his back on them? I doubt it. Maybe, like so many others in the club scene, they would rather just go to whichever venue is in fashion and not question the dirty politics that lie underneath.

Nottingham clubber
- Homepage: http://boycottblueprint.wordpress.com/

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