Achi news desk-
That’s the proposal of the Music Venue Trust (MVT), an organization that supports hundreds of grassroots music venues in the UK, and it’s certainly worth exploring given the pressures facing independent venues at the moment.
The MVT wants a ticket levy to be placed on the price of all major stadium and arena gigs, with the money raised going to help struggling shops at the lower end of the venue’s food chain.
READ MORE: Glasgow must embrace plans to build new conference centre
And help they certainly need. A report published by the MVT in January found that 125 grassroots venues were set to close in 2023, at a rate of two a week, which it said underlined the challenges facing venues of this size from factors such as high rents and energy costs.
According to the MVT, the findings highlighted the stark disparity between record revenues and profits generated by venues and artists at the top end of the music industry and those operating on the grassroots.
The MVT said its survey of the remaining 835 members of the Music Venues Alliance found that despite hosting more than 187,000 events in 2023 and generating over £500 million in revenue, these venues were making a profit from just £2.5m, or profit. of 0.5%, for the period. Furthermore, he found that without grants and donations worth £3.1m from MVT’s own Pipeline Investment Fund, the Arts Council of England and other organisations, the sector would have made a loss.
“2003 was the worst year for venue closures since the launch of the Music Venue Trust ten years ago,” said Beverley Whitrick, the group’s chief operating officer, when the survey was published. “We are still losing an average of two locations a week and those that have survived are now consumed by threats to their continued existence that they have no chance of overcoming without immediate help. Without outside help, our entire sector would be bankrupt.”
READ MORE: Laings brightens high street with £20m store project
Live music lovers won’t need to be reminded of the importance of grassroots venues. On a romantic level, many of us will remember seeing bands who would one day become superstars perform in the smallest venues at the start of their careers. Seeing Radiohead at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut and Oasis at The Cathouse in Glasgow are some of my happiest gigging memories.
It’s a rite of passage for music fans to follow their favorite acts as they move up the placement ladder but equally these are essential stepping stones for the bands themselves. The venues on the ground offer the first opportunities for bands and young singers to play in front of an audience and refine their craft.
In town and city centres, grassroots venues are a vital part of the economic ecosystem. They bring people into urban areas, encourage spending on bars, restaurants, hotels and taxis, and provide employment.
“As representatives of Scotland’s night-time industries, we fully support the call for a support mechanism for businesses to tackle rising operational costs,” said a spokesman for the Night-Time Industries Association (NTIA) in Scotland by The Herald. “The plight of independent and grassroots venues in this crisis cannot be overstated.
“It is essential to understand that any financial support must be allocated with complete transparency and accountability.
“With 77% of the night economy made up of independent businesses, it is vital to address the needs of the whole spectrum, including mid-tier organisations. Strengthening support for small and medium-sized and independent businesses across different areas reinforce the foundation of our industry, nurturing talent and fostering sustainable growth through a robust ecosystem.”
READ MORE: Oban Hebrides Cruises showcases the best of the west
The most successful grassroots venues put their towns or cities on the map. I’ve never attended a gig at Moles, the famous independent venue in Bath which closed its doors after 45 years in December, but I’m certainly well aware of it. He is one of those names that has been in the mind after years of reading the music press and hearing about the legendary performances he put on, alongside the 100 Club in London and Boardwalk (now defunct) in Manchester.
However, recently a host of famous venues have bitten the dust, with the Chameleon in Nottingham, Ironworks in Inverness, and Jazz Barr in Edinburgh among those leaving the stage.
Donald MacLeod, managing director of Hold Fast Entertainment, owner of the Garage and Cathouse venues in Glasgow and promoter of CPL, which has helped break scores of performers over the decades, told The Herald that he supports the idea of a levy in principle.
“Grassroots music venues are an essential part of our culture really, across Scotland and the UK,” he said. They are great places to hang out and as a musician myself and someone who has been involved in the industry for 45 years, what is happening is tragic.”
However, Mr MacLeod said any levy would have to be backed up by legislation and, echoing the NTIA, stated that several key questions would have to be answered first.
READ MORE: Ayrshire firm McTaggart praised for work in North Lanarkshire
He said: “It would need to be placed in stone tablets, and who has that power? Is it the UK or Scottish Government? Can it be a devolved matter?”
Mr MacLeod, who welcomed the fact that the Scottish Government is investigating the matter, added: “The French model, with 3.8% of gross ticket sales going to a fund, is possibly the best model. But who is going to govern and administer that fund? And what will the application process be like?
“I wouldn’t want the Scottish Government to throw all their eggs in the basket and support this while at the same time not giving the [business] rate relief which we certainly deserve, and which was given to help hospitality venues in England.”
Mr MacLeod and the NTIA are right to call for transparency. The rules relating to any proposed levy must be discussed and made clear to ensure that the most needy locations get the benefit.
But the sooner the idea is explored the better. Otherwise we are going to lose even more of our beloved live music venues.
