First community-owned music venue opens own radio station

A community-owned music venue launched its own radio station yesterday.

Sister Midnight, Lewisham’s first community-owned music venue based at the Catford Centre, has launched Sister Midnight FM [SMFM].

Sister Midnight is the brainchild of Lenny Watson, Sophie Farrell and Lottie Pendlebury, the lead singer of Peckham punk band Goat Girl.

SMFM forms part of Sister Midnight’s efforts to become a cultural hub in South-east London.

Ms Watson, who used to have a record shop in Tanners Hill, Deptford, said: “SMFM opens up a whole new world of possibilities for engaging and growing the Sister Midnight community – both in the present while we’re still working on opening our new music venue, and in the future once we’re up and running.

“We’re so excited to see how the station grows and to have a way for local people to get creatively involved with our work!”

Radio shows will host a wide array of musicians, community groups, DJs, historians, activists and more.

Anyone in the community can apply for a broadcast slot, to join the radio team or offer their opinion.

SMFM’s launch included shows from Laani, DJ Gilla, Selextorhood Collective, Last Nubian, Rohan Rakhit, Deptford Northern Soul Club, All Centre, Deptford Ravens Football Team, the Lewisham Anti-Raids group, Unit 137, Shovel Dance Collective, Village Cuts and many more musicians, artists and storytellers.

Since 2021, Sister Midnight has been campaigning to create Lewisham’s first community owned music venue, bringing a much needed cultural community hub to the area.

This year they secured a 10 year lease for their venue in The Brookdale Club and are in the process of transforming it into a grassroots venue.

As the venue gets closer to opening its doors to the public, Sister Midnight will begin building a studio that will be part of the venue itself.

Pictured top: The Sister Midnight collective, from left, Lottie Pendlebury, Lenny Watson and Sophie Farrell (Picture: Sister Midnight)