Grassroots venues all over the UK have been in crisis for the last decade or two. London has lost almost half of all its clubs in the past 10 years and 2023 was officially the worst year on record, with 125 grassroots music spots around the country forced to shut up shop.
Now, the government has made a monumental move to help protect our beloved grassroots music scene.
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It has backed plans to introduce a levy on large gigs that’ll put money towards their smaller counterparts. With the levy, every single ticket that is sold at an arena or stadium would contain a financial contribution that supports grassroots music venues, artists and promoters.
Music Venues Trust (MVT), which has long been campaigning for these measures, called it the ‘single most significant shift in over 50 years of British music’.
In a statement on social media, it added: ‘The Government’s response is so robust and unequivocal in its support for [grassroots music venues], that it is now a question of HOW and WHEN the grassroots ticketing contribution from stadium and arenas is enacted, and not if.’
It’s understood that the government will leave it up to the music sector to decide how the fee is implemented. Its Culture, Media and Sport Committee said the industry should set ‘firm deadline’ before the ‘government steps in itself’.
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