Plug Studios

04/12/2024

PRICE INCREASE in January

As previously mentioned, our room hire price will be increasing by a further £3.00 from the 1st January 2025. Hopefully this increase will help offset the 20% rent increase that comes into effect from January.

As an example, a medium room with a half kit (currently £27.00) will become £30.00. We still believe this to be good value for money and hopefully there won't be any need for further price hikes for quite some time.

Equipment hire and solo sessions will remain at their current prices but full weekend recording deals have increased. The new prices will be reflected on our website in the new year.

Once again, thank you for continuing to support our small independent business, especially during these difficult times.

Pete and Sharon

18/11/2024

Bring it on!! 😄🥳
So the last day to make some noise will be on Thursday 19th and the first day back at it will be Thursday 2nd.

31/10/2024

Just want to say a massive thank you for all of your kindness and support. Means the world to us.
Happy Spooking everyone!!! 🧡

28/10/2024

We have recently been informed that our rent for the studios is set to increase by 20%.

This comes only a few weeks after we increased our prices by £2.00 per session. That price increase was agonised over, having spent a few days forecasting potential income and expenditure for the year ahead. To have yet another demand on our already pressured finances came as a real body blow. The past few weeks have been particularly difficult to navigate through and we seriously considered just giving up.

We aren’t angry with the landlords as they have treated us fairly and honestly - they have given us plenty of notice of the increase and the new rent is actually still heavily discounted when compared with comparable units around Norwich. It is just business after all and not personal.

We hope to be able to absorb the extra costs up until January next year (2025) but, at that time, we will likely have to put our prices up again. Some days it feels like we are just slogging uphill, cresting a ridge and seeing the summit still way off in the distance. The studios have survived for a long time without the need for price hikes but the past few years have been unprecedented and especially unsettling.

Sharon and myself gave up the security of regular jobs to throw ourselves into this venture whole-heartedly. Since taking over, we have weathered nearly 18 months of closure through Covid, energy price increases of 480%, fuel shortages and the ongoing cost of living crisis. If nothing else, we are resilient.

We will continue to support you and the Norwich music scene for as long as we can, as you, in turn, continue to support us. We thought it best to be open and honest about the situation and to provide fair warning of another potential price rise next year along with the reasoning behind it.

In the meantime, thank you all for your loyalty, support and friendship. It really does mean a lot to us.

Pete and Sharon

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23/09/2024

The superb Pharmacists were in this weekend recording a ridiculously catchy new single. Lots of hard work was crammed into just one day to make sure we got everything done in time and on budget.

The editing is all done and the foundation mix is shaping up nicely. I often ask for a reference track as I find it's useful for getting an idea of what bands like and helps in setting volume levels, reverbs and general EQ, especially with regard to drums and guitars.

20/09/2024

Two new stools have joined the Plug family. Thanks to PMT for sourcing these little lovelies for us. All of our drum stools are now thread adjusted as customers were struggling with the friction lock adjusters (the mechanism that adjusts and fixes the seat height). Hopefully this will lead to fewer issues and less damage.

04/09/2024

This weekend saw us recording the last few tracks for North City Lager System's upcoming album. Man, was this funny! The songs and lyrics had me in stitches, most of which I can't repeat on here!

These guys always make me smile - a feat that is almost next to impossible these days! Thanks chaps, it was a pleasure :)

22/08/2024

EXTRA CYMBAL STANDS...

More and more drummers are now asking for two or more extra cymbal stands for their practice. We simply do not have enough to go round and can't guarantee supply week after week. They are a gratuity, not an entitlement. Extra stands in the rooms are also causing an issue at change over as more equipment has to be lugged in and out of the rooms, often delaying access for other bands. If you have your own stands, please bring them with you.

We considered applying a new charge for supplying extra stands (in line with our other equipment) but have decided to hang fire and see how things pan out.

Thank you!
S & P

06/08/2024

PRICE INCREASE

Sadly, we will have to increase our room prices by £2.00 as from 19/8/24. We didn’t feel comfortable doing so during the ‘cost of living crisis’ when everyone was struggling, including ourselves. However, the studios not only have to pay for their existence, they also have to provide Sharon and myself with a living. The costs associated with keeping the studios open have all increased (gas, electric, water, equipment repair and replacement, card transaction charges, bin supply, website hosting and domain costs, insurances, alarm tests and services to name but a few).

Sharon and myself have always fought hard to keep the costs down whilst still providing a clean, safe, well maintained and value for money practice environment, 7 days a week, 51 weeks a year (closed Christmas week).

The cost increase of £2.00 will apply as follows:

Medium room, 3 hrs, no drum kit - £23.00 (was £21.00)

Medium room, 3 hrs, half kit - £27.00 (was £25.00)

Medium room, 3 hrs, full kit - £29.00 (was £27.00)



The £2.00 increase also applies to the same ‘set’ prices for the small and large room.

‘Solo’ sessions will remain £6.00 per hour.

Equipment hire will remain the same (£3.00 guitar head hire per session etc.)


We hope you understand our position and will continue to support our small independent business.

Pete and Sharon ❤️

21/07/2024

Well, what a cracking day we had yesterday! Our very good friends dropped by for a full day of rehearsal for their upcoming 'Surrounded By Idiots' shows. By chance, Southpaw singer Paul called by too, which made for a very nostalgic catch up on a perfect sunny afternoon!

We (Southpaw) met some of these guys way back in the 90's (yes, that's last century!) and have watched them grow from a fledgling band into a UK punk scene mainstay. It's bloody ace that they are still playing and that we were lucky enough to have shared the stage with them on many occasions.

They still sound as tight and ripping as they did 30 years ago so go catch one of their shows!! ❤ 😍 ###

16/05/2024

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH...

Again, we find ourselves having to remind people of our only real rule here - no drinks in the rooms (except bottled water).

This is to protect us as much as it is to protect you, our customers. Our small business couldn't withstand being forced to close while the Health and Safety Executive investigate an onsite electrocution. Neither could we withstand a huge financial fine should we be found negligent in any way. Sharon and myself are not prepared to lose our business, livelihood or home because a few individuals think the rule doesn't apply to them.

As a result of four bands ignoring our rule last night, we will now be implementing a £10.00 fine that will be added to your session cost should we find deliberate transgressions.

Killjoys? Not very rock 'n' roll? Maybe, but I'm pretty sure I can't use being 'rock 'n' roll' as my defense if we were to be prosecuted. We are trying to protect the things we care about - you, ourselves, our equipment and our business.

If you feel this is unfair or outrageous then don't drink in the rooms. It's that simple. We have a fantastic chill out lounge, please use it.

However, we also want to extend a HUGE thank you to the regular bands that respect our studios - and us. Thank you, you know who you are x

20/04/2024

EMPTY ROOM...

We will now be asking for a 50% deposit from all new recording customers. For the second weekend in a row we have been treated to clients simply not showing up.

The 50% deposit is purely for brand new customers who we haven't worked with before - existing, regular customers will not be affected as we have already established a solid working relationship with you.

We have never asked for money upfront before as we operate on simple trust and a belief that clients are actually keen and committed to their project. It's doubly annoying that we have bands waiting for sessions that we could have fitted in earlier but for people wasting our time. Hopefully this will discourage future time wasters and leave sessions available for dedicated musicians.

25/03/2024

Get in touch 😊

23/03/2024

Plug Studios will be closed on Friday 29th March and Monday 1st April.
Open for business as usual Saturday and Sunday 🌞

21/03/2024

PARKING ISSUES UPDATE

If you have been issued with a parking fine related to unit 22 then please contact us for further information.

17/02/2024

08/02/2024

HAAVAT MERCH!

Feast your eyes on this bunch of goodies! I was honoured to be asked to record the first full-lengther for Haavat last year and it's turned out blinding! I was really happy how it sounded and the effort put in by all concerned whilst recording was brilliant. The amazing artwork by guitarist Mid finishes it all off perfectly too!

Head over to their bandcamp page to get your hands on some top quality merch!

09/01/2024

NEW YEAR, NEW GEAR!

We've taken delivery of a couple of new Orange Super Crush 100 heads for the rooms. We hope to gradually replace our older heads as and when they die (and as funds allow). They sound lush and can be tweaked to suit all styles so they are perfect solid-state heads for studios like us!

We only have two at present so can't entertain requests for specific heads in specific rooms (we have enough work to do as it is!) In time, all the rooms will have them so please be patient 😊.

Big thanks to the folks at PMT Norwich for hooking us up with these black-shrouded beauties!