The Music Venue Trust (MVT), which is backing a crowdfunded scheme to take at least nine venues into community ownership, says surging costs and punters reining in spending during the cost of living crisis have combined with pressure from property developers to force closures.
About 16% of the UK's small venues, which have launched the careers of bestselling artists such as Ed Sheeran and Adele, have closed or stopped putting on gigs so far this year. This has meant the loss of not only 4,000 jobs, but also thousands of chances for new acts to perform and more than £9m in income for musicians. Some venues have opened, leaving about 835 venues linked to the trust, or a net 12% drop this year.
Mark Davyd, the chief executive of MVT, said: "We need spaces where creativity can thrive and I don't think that is an extraordinary idea. We need somewhere where acts can see if they have got what it takes to be an artist." It is calling on the government to extend business rates relief for venues. Currently they pay a quarter of business rates due on their properties, a step up from the rates holiday at the height of the pandemic. From April there is no guarantee of help.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 30, 2023 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
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هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة September 30, 2023 من The Guardian.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
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