As Portswood venue Talking Heads prepares to move lock, stock, and barrel to the Polygon, we catch up with owner Guy Benfield to learn more about the move, the new venue – and ghosts!
• Talking Heads moving to Polygon

 

So what's happening with Talking Heads, Guy?

Well I want to make it clear that when I came in [four years ago] this place was shut, and it was going to be redeveloped back then, and it was convenient to the owners to let us have a run at it, but it was always on the understanding that they would want to redevelop it. It was kind of an open ended thing so it was a shock when I was contacted and they said they wanted that to happen, but there again, it wasn't unexpected.

And the Portswood site is going to be turned into student accommodation?

Yes. The planning permission has already been passed. I didn't object to that because I firmly believe that if you own something and you want to do something different, that's up to you. The point is they gave ample time.

We didn't inherit anything. Talking Heads had been shut for some time, and there wasn't much that we took over. We're lifting up what we're doing here now, and we're just moving it down to this lovely new site at the Polygon.

So you're moving to what was The Maple Leaf?

Well it was The Maple Leaf and it still is The Maple Leaf, but it has been shut for I think about a year, or maybe a year and a half. So it's another venue that is not actually operating at present.

It consists of a very very lovely front bar which I can't wait to get to work on, and a separate rear venue... it's a lovely space in which to work: it's got no pillars, no obstructions so we should get a really clean sound in there. It was very popular with performers who did play there, and we've had a lot of very positive feedback from people about the prospect of performing there again.

Does it have about the same capacity?

Yes. We're 300 here. We can go higher down there, but it's at least what we've got now. To be honest it's an incredible opportunity to take forward what we've done here; we're five minutes from the train station which to me is a big bonus. You've got ample car parking around the place, and it's going to be very nice being in such close proximity to the Mayflower.

On Facebook the general sentiment seemed to be sadness that you're upping sticks, with all the history of this place, and yet happiness that you're carrying on – and some people seemed very pleased the new venue will be near the station.

Yes here we're between two stations – we're bang in the middle, but there it couldn't be easier: get off the train and you're five minutes away, with access from Commercial Road... we have a lot of complaints especially from younger people that they can't travel up here: it can be hard to get to. With that Maple Leaf venue, it's just a fair place to be for everyone.

Have you got much work to do there to get it ready?

We're doing it at the moment. The ceiling's down, it's being rewired, plumbing looked at, fire alarms replaced etc etc to bring it all up to the standard which we brought this place up to when we opened it. And another good thing about down there, which I'm chuffed about, and something we just don't have room for here, is it has got proper disabled facilities which is very important.

Will you still have something like the 'smoking terrace' which I know some people like as it gives a bit of protection from the elements when queuing?

The front bar has the capacity to cope with people not having to queue up outside... the main performance space is separate. So people can come into the front bar, which is big: it has a good capacity. And also there's a garden outside, so we envisage people being able to have a drink before they come in, rather than being stuck out in the road!

It's pretty fortuitous that The Maple Leaf was available, and it sounds like you're excited about the whole thing.

Yes very much. I remember the Maple, I went to The Maple Leaf when it first opened as a venue in the 80s, and thought it was a lovely venue.

You must have some stories about this place though?

Yes loads.

Any you want to share?

What's that? Ghosts?

Hmmmm. That's cropped up.... this place definitely has... I did not believe in all this stuff, but – the things that have happened: you just think: well I don't know what you think, really! You think: “That can't be happening!”

Have you got an example?

Loads.

Go on...

Being touched. Things moving, particularly in the cellar: you turn everything on, and it gets turned off again. It does, really. It has happened on numerous occasions...

I'm not going down to the cellar then!

… and there's no explanation... We had the ghost hunters here. It was in the Echo. The ghost hunters had wanted to get in here for ages. It wasn't until I took the place over, and previous owners cropped up, who talked about ghosts. I said “What ghosts!” But it was really common knowledge: the oldest owner I spoke to was someone who lived here in the sixties, and they said about it back then. It is weird.

But you've lived with it?

It's no problem. Nothing bad happens. It's just strange – a bit weird to get your head round! Because I still don't really believe all this stuff. But....

We wish you all the best for the move!

Thank you. Cheers.

Talking Heads is due to move to the Polygon next month. It's been in Portswood as Talking Heads since around 1992. Before then, it was The Red Lion pub. The final gig in Portswood will feature John Otway on January 23. The Portswood site has planning consent for student flats. It's unclear whether the Talking Heads ghost will remain in Portswood to haunt students, or make it down to the Polygon.

Previously: Talking Heads moving to Polygon