PORT TOWNSEND — The Castle underneath Manresa Castle will close on Monday and is hosting its final shows tonight and Saturday.
The restaurant and lounge at 651 Cleveland St. in Port Townsend will host Fortress of The Bear and Uncle Funk & The Dope 6 at 5 p.m. tonight, with a cover by donation, and the last 21-and-over Comedy at the Castle show at 8 p.m. Saturday with tickets $20.
“We encourage everyone to share their stories, reminisce, and bid farewell to The Castle,” said Cameron Roberts, CEO of The Castle, in a press release. “Let us come together one last time to honor the spirit of this extraordinary place.”
Seventeen people have been laid off, said Dan Depew, marketing and events coordinator.
The sudden announcement on Thursday is because of the cancellation of the business’ insurance policy by Farmers Insurance, according to the release.
“The cancellation came as a shock to the business, as they were unaware that the events they hosted, such as stand-up comedy, drag queen bingo, burlesque, and more, were no longer insurable,” the release said.
The insurance was canceled because such shows ware conducted in the same building as the restaurant, which also serves children, Depew said.
Castle personnel discovered a month ago that the policy had been canceled early this year via a letter sent to the wrong address in January and it was impossible to find new insurance due to the seven-month gap in their previous policy, the release said.
“While we explored various solutions, including discussions with the Washington Insurance Commission, time was not on our side,” Roberts said.
“Given the complexities and uncertainties involved, we had to make the heartbreaking decision to close our doors,” he said.
“We fought hard to find a way through, but ultimately, we had to accept that this chapter has come to an end. It all happened so fast that all of us at The Castle are still processing.”
For more information, see www.thecastleinpt.com.
