The Sound Lounge Trust

What The Sound Lounge Trust does

The Sound Lounge Trust (legal entity: The Sound Lounge Trust CIC) is a UK not-for-profit social enterprise operating a 200-capacity grassroots music venue at 216–220 High Street, Sutton, SM1 1NU. Founded in 2012 by Keiron Marshall and Hannah White, the organisation has run live music programming continuously since 2012 across Tooting, Wimbledon, Morden, and — since December 2020 — Sutton. Its venue hosts blues, folk, Americana, acoustic singer-songwriter, country, jazz, and acoustic pop performances and operates a 100% plant-based kitchen using ingredients from a venue garden and local growers (including Shrub London, a local brewery within 4.5 miles, and Birchall Tea's solar-powered plant). Core technology comprises a Presonus StudioLive 32SX digital console, a dB Technologies IG3T/SUB 915 PA system, Chamsys cQuickQ20 lighting desk, and vintage backline including a 1960 Hammond A100 Organ and Leslie 145 rotary speaker, complemented by UVC air-filtration, LED lighting, and water-free urinals.

The company monetises through five revenue streams: ticket sales via the Vivenu platform, food and beverage, merchandise on Shopify, donations/Patreon via Square/PayPal/BACs, and venue hire. Its business model is anchored in a community- and event-led go-to-market: word-of-mouth, an organic social presence (@soundloungecic), an email newsletter, press coverage (Time Out), the annual Folk in the Park festival, monthly Supper Club dining, and free community programs such as #ArtForAll, Friendship Coffee, Food Workshops, Youth Jam, Shake n Sing, #FairFrets instrument upcycling, Supported Work Experience, and AQA-accredited training in sound engineering, event management, and barista skills. Operational performance since the Sutton opening includes 721 gigs for 789 artists, 98 charity events, 580 free hot drinks to isolated residents, and 366 hot meals for food-insecure community members.

Name

The Sound Lounge Trust

Legal name

The Sound Lounge Trust CIC

Website

https://thesoundlounge.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UK not-for-profit CIC operating a 200-capacity CarbonNeutral grassroots music venue and plant-based eatery in Sutton, London, hosting live independent music, community programs for isolation, food insecurity, and youth development, and sustaining operations via ticket sales, F&B, merch, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Venue and Community Hub

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Live Music Clubs & Venues (MPAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Live Music Venues & Concert Bars (THAFAEAD), Nightclub & Small Live Venue Operations (Clubs, Bars with Stages) (MPAGALAF)

Keywords

• Grassroots music venue
• Plant-based kitchen
• Community programs
• Live music events
• Carbon neutral hospitality

Headquarters

HQ city

Sutton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Live music event tickets sold through Vivenu platform for gigs and festivals including Folk in the Park
2. Food and Beverage: 100% plant-based kitchen serving food and local drinks including beer from breweries 4.5 miles away, carbon neutral wine, and Birchall tea
3. Merchandise: Online merch store via Shopify platform selling branded merchandise
4. Donations and Patreon: Voluntary donations via Square, PayPal, BACs, Patreon scheme; larger donations by direct contact
5. Venue Hire: Private bookings and events at the venue for community and corporate use

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Sound Lounge Trust operates a 200-capacity grassroots music venue in Sutton, South West London, hosting live performances in blues, folk, americana, country, jazz, and acoustic pop. It runs a 100% plant-based kitchen using locally sourced and venue-grown organic produce, and delivers a portfolio of free community programs including #ArtForAll, Friendship Coffee, Food Workshops, Youth Jam, Shake 'n' Sing, #FairFrets instrument recycling, and AQA-accredited training. Ticketing is sold via the Vivenu platform and additional revenue comes from venue hire, branded merchandise, and donations.

Product overview

The Sound Lounge Trust operates as a multi-faceted community enterprise combining a CarbonNeutral-certified grassroots music venue with a 100% plant-based kitchen, community programs, and events. The core venue (The Sound Lounge Venue) hosts live music performances for independent artists and serves as a community hub. The Plant-Based Kitchen provides organic, locally sourced food. Community programs include #ArtForAll free gigs, Friendship Coffee sessions, Food Workshops, Youth Jam, Shake 'n' Sing, #FairFrets instrument recycling, Supported Work Experience, and #AchievementForAll AQA-accredited training. Events include the annual Folk in the Park festival and monthly Supper Club dining experiences. Additional revenue streams include a merchandise store and donation platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Sound Lounge Venue A 200-capacity CarbonNeutral certified grassroots music venue in Sutton, UK, hosting live performances in blues, folk, americana, country, jazz, and acoustic pop, and serving as a platform for independent artists.
• Plant-Based Kitchen A 100% plant-based, organic kitchen serving locally sourced food, with produce grown in the venue's own garden and from local farms. Breads, doughs, and cakes are made in-house without deep fat frying.
• Folk in the Park Festival An annual day-long live music festival held in the heart of Sutton borough, featuring roots, folk, and americana music.
• Supper Club A monthly multi-course fine dining food club featuring seasonal produce from the venue's plant-based kitchen.
• Merchandise Store Online store selling branded Sound Lounge merchandise, accessible via the MERCH link on the venue's website.
• Venue Hire Private bookings and events at the Sutton venue for community gatherings, private parties, and corporate hire.
• Donation Platform Multiple donation channels (Square, PayPal, Patreon, BACs) for supporting the venue and community projects, including larger donations made by direct contact.

Quantifiable outcome

• 721 gigs hosted for 789 artists & bands in 3.5 years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Music Venue Trust (MVT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational charity partnership to showcase and support venues across the country in reducing their environmental impact. The Sound Lounge works with MVT to promote sustainable practices in grassroots music venues.
• Sutton Council & Sutton Business Improvement District (BID)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded the Green Enterprise Partnership - a first-of-its-kind pioneering scheme offering small businesses who reduce their emissions, business tax reductions. The scheme has had huge take-up and achieved incredible results.
• VIY (Venue It Yourself)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerOrganization that brought in mentors to train and offer City&Guilds qualifications to young people not in education, employment or training who built The Sound Lounge venue.
• David Bourne (Master Luthier)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaster luthier who made guitars for famous guitarists including Jimmy Page and Joan Armatrading, and for Martin Guitars as Head Warranty Repairer Europe-wide. Partnership for #FairFrets project upcycling donated instruments.
• Shrub LondonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal organic produce supplier distributing from local farms, supplementing the venue's own garden produce and supporting the 100% plant-based kitchen.
• Birchall TeaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal, solar powered tea plant providing carbon neutral tea for the venue's drinks offering.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Regional players

• Band on the Wall: Manchester-based not-for-profit grassroots music venue with community programs. Comparable as a small-capacity, community-mission-driven live music venue, though operating outside London.
• Brudenell Social Club: Community-owned grassroots music venue in Leeds operating as a social enterprise. Directly comparable in operating model (community-led grassroots venue, social-mission focus, support for emerging artists), but in a different UK region.
• Komedia: Multi-purpose grassroots music and comedy venue in Brighton and Bath with a community-programming focus. Comparable as a small, mission-driven independent venue running diverse community and live music programming.

Direct peers

• Rich Mix: East London grassroots arts and music venue combining live music with community programs and a charitable mission. Comparable as a small-capacity, community-led venue operating a similar social-enterprise-plus-live-music hybrid model.
• Omeara: Small live music venue near London Bridge hosting emerging and established artists. Comparable as an intimate, independent London grassroots venue focused on original live music and emerging artist development.
• Bush Hall: A 200-capacity grassroots live music venue in Shepherd's Bush, London. Directly comparable to The Sound Lounge as a small, independent, intimate live music room serving emerging artists and original music in the capital.
• Green Note: Intimate Camden grassroots music venue specializing in folk, acoustic, americana, and singer-songwriter genres. Closely comparable to The Sound Lounge on genre focus and intimate-capacity live music model.
• Village Underground: Independent Shoreditch music venue hosting live gigs, club nights, and community-focused programming. Comparable as a London grassroots venue that combines live music with community/creative programming and operates an intimate capacity.
• The 100 Club: Historic Soho live music venue with small capacity hosting emerging artists across genres. Comparable as a long-running, small-capacity grassroots London venue that supports artist development.

Others

• Music Venue Trust: UK charity that supports and represents grassroots music venues. Listed as an OTHERS peer because The Sound Lounge has a formal partnership with MVT, positioning MVT as the sector-level infrastructure counterpart rather than a competing operator.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-sound-lounge-studios-ltd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Sound Lounge Trust