With help from East Devon District Council and Arts Coucil England, the Community Waffle House in Axminster has launched a year-long programme of free music for the whole community in what is believed to be Devon's first 'dry' music venue.

The team at Waffle have secured funding from the Art Council's Supporting Grassroots Live Music Fund, as well as EDDC's Innovation and Resilience Fund, to transform the Waffle House in Trinity House into an evening music and events venue for the whole community.

To support this project, the Wafflers also developed a new menu and an innovative 'Dry Bar', serving up alcohol-free cocktails and craft beers to a full-house on Friday night. 

In true Waffle spirit, the new music programme is built on a mission to reach out to the community and tackle loneliness.

"Our heart has always been to find creative ways to bring the whole community together, and creating Devon's first 'dry' music venue seemed like a great way to do just that," said local music teacher and project lead, Pete Scott. 

The launch was attended by councillors Sarah Jackson, Paul Hayward and Nick Hookway, who spoke of their shared hope that the arts might offer a pathway to regeneration for the town.

Cllr Jackson commented: "There is a long and proud history in Axminster rooted in creativity and industry and I see that woven together brilliantly in projects like Waffle Live."

The programme will now run weekly until spring 2023 and includes a huge variety of acts as well as a regular open-mic and DJ & Pizza night.

Every music event at Waffle will be free to enter and free from alcohol, making it as accessible to the community as possible.

To find out more or to book a place email [email protected] or phone 01297 34694.