Toronto has lost yet another venue to the ongoing pandemic. Kensington Market's Round Venue has officially been shuttered over a rent dispute.
According to blogTO, Round's landlord changed both the venue's locks and the locks of the downstairs tenant, the Muay Thai gym Krudar, last week after the business owners were unable to make rent for several months due to COVID restrictions.
Round owner Ashley Giesecke told blogTO she was not informed about the coming eviction and that equipment locked inside the venue has also been seized as part of the closure. She alleged that Round's landlord would not apply for the government's rental relief program amid ongoing gathering restrictions despite her encouragement.
Giesecke and Krudar owners Darwin and Danica Miranda claim that the landlord has changed phone numbers and cannot be reached since the eviction. The property is now listed for sale through the Sutton Group for over $4 million.
The venue has been closed since mid-March when early lockdown procedures first began in Ontario.
Round was home to weekly DJ nights and LGBTQ+ events such as Cherry Bomb, Architextures and AFRO HAUS, as well as the city's ongoing Drag Queen-led Amateur Strip Night series.
The venue had operated at its Augusta Avenue location since 2013 and had previously secured a lease that would have been valid through to 2023.
According to blogTO, Round's landlord changed both the venue's locks and the locks of the downstairs tenant, the Muay Thai gym Krudar, last week after the business owners were unable to make rent for several months due to COVID restrictions.
Round owner Ashley Giesecke told blogTO she was not informed about the coming eviction and that equipment locked inside the venue has also been seized as part of the closure. She alleged that Round's landlord would not apply for the government's rental relief program amid ongoing gathering restrictions despite her encouragement.
Giesecke and Krudar owners Darwin and Danica Miranda claim that the landlord has changed phone numbers and cannot be reached since the eviction. The property is now listed for sale through the Sutton Group for over $4 million.
The venue has been closed since mid-March when early lockdown procedures first began in Ontario.
Round was home to weekly DJ nights and LGBTQ+ events such as Cherry Bomb, Architextures and AFRO HAUS, as well as the city's ongoing Drag Queen-led Amateur Strip Night series.
The venue had operated at its Augusta Avenue location since 2013 and had previously secured a lease that would have been valid through to 2023.
