It’s home sweet home for dancers (From Swindon Advertiser)

Salsa club finds a new home after appeal in the Adver

8:50am Monday 28th January 2013 in News By Katie Bond

A SALSA group on the brink of closure after losing its venue has finally found a new home.

Salsanativa, run by Sally Marsden, had been taking place on a Wednesday night from the upstairs of Revolution in the town centre, for several years.

However, at the beginning of the month, Sally was told that the bar would no longer be opening on a Wednesday evening with immediate effect, leaving the club homeless.

In a bid to save the group from closure, Sally has spent the past three weeks frantically making and receiving calls to try and find a new venue suitable for three salsa classes she holds with dance partner Hender Corredor-Escalante.

She was inundated with messages of support and has now found a new venue – The Great Western Hotel, opposite the railway station.

“I have been to see so many different venues and I had loads of calls from people just trying to help out who don’t even come to salsa, the support we have received has been amazing, people have been so sweet,” she said.

“I saw so many venues but they were either too expensive, or not big enough, or the dance floor wasn’t suitable and it was getting to three weeks since we had held a class, so I was getting really desperate.

“I was beginning to think I wasn’t going to be able to restart the group.

“But I had all these messages from members of the group saying that we couldn’t stop, they have been with us since day one and they didn’t want to stop.”

Sally, who also holds monthly salsa party nights at Fusion bar at The Bell Hotel in Old Town, was then told by the owner of the venue to contact his business partner at The Great Western Hotel.

“I’d never even been in there before,” said Sally.

“But I went to have a look and it was absolutely perfect.

“It’s got a big wooden floor, it’s a central location and it even has a car park next to it, so any ladies that are coming on their own won’t have to walk through the town to get there any more which is perfect.

“And we could start on Wednesday which is great.”

Sally is hoping more people will take up salsa dancing now the club has a new venue.

“In January, people are often looking for exercise groups to help burn off the fat, and I don’t think they realise how much you can burn off with dancing.

“And it’s great fun, we are a really friendly group.

“About 95 per cent of the people that come are single and they find it is a much easier environment to talk to people compared to dating websites.

“It’s just getting people there – once they are there they will stay and they’ll enjoy it, they’ll make new friends and relationships.”

For more information call Sally on 07837 579015 or visit http://www.salsanativa.co.uk/.

The group will meet on Wednesdays from 8pm.