Majority of UK venues/theatres 'facing permanent closure'

[Imani]

MPs told that majority of UK music venues and theatres are facing permanent closure

A House of Commons culture select committee of MPs is currently looking into the impact of coronavirus on the creative industries

by Sam Moore
NME, 10th June 2020

MPs have been warned that a large majority of the UK’s music venues and theatres are facing permanent closure as a result of the coronavirus lockdown.

Over 400 grassroots music venues in the UK are at imminent risk of closing for good as a consequence of the ongoing health crisis. Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd, who is behind the #SaveOurVenues campaign, told NME last month that “music industry companies need to step up and help with donations” to help save affected venues, while “real action from [the] government, specifically around rent relief, financial help and clearer guidance,” is also required.

Speaking to a virtual session of the House of Commons’ culture select committee of MPs yesterday (June 9), Horace Trubridge, the general secretary of the Musicians’ Union, and Julian Bird, chief executive of UK Theatre and Society of London Theatre, estimated that half of all music venues and 70% of theatres across the UK face permanent closure.

“We never ever imagined that something like this, so catastrophic, could come along that would kill live music for a period of time,” Trubridge told the committee, who are looking into the impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the creative industries.

“A lot of music venues are in city centres in sort of prime real estate. If they can’t continue to make the money that keeps the doors open then I think their landlords will be thinking about doing something else with the properties. We could very easily lose half the music venues we have in the UK during this crisis if there isn’t more permanent support for them.”

Bird said that, of the 1100 theatre buildings in the UK (over 50% of which are charities or trusts), 70% of theatres or production companies will “run out of cash, go out of business by the end of this year” as a consequence of the coronavirus lockdown.

Both Bird and Trubridge called on the UK government to provide additional financial support for cultural venues, with Trubridge also highlighting the fact that nearly 40% of the Musicians’ Union’s members didn’t qualify for either of the government’s self-employment income support or furlough schemes.

“Members have had no income whatsoever since the middle of March,” he said. “We know many of our members, up to maybe more than 20%, think they won’t be able to stay in the profession if this goes on for too long.”

On the subject of implementing social distancing at venues after the lockdown, both Bird and Trubridge said that the prospect of enacting such a policy didn’t look economically viable for venues.

“That is not an economic business model most venues can operate on realistically going forward,” said Bird.

Earlier today (June 10), the Association of Independent Music announced that they are accepting further applications for access to their Covid-19 Crisis Fund, which is providing financial aid to freelancers and contractors in the music industry.

https://www.nme.com/news/music/mps-told-that-majority-of-uk-music-venues-and-theatres-are-facing-permanent-closure-2685267

[Harry]

It's a very sad situation.
Lots of jobs will be lost, lots of great places will be closed down.
I got an e-mail today about a fund that helps musicians (the last deadline to apply is the 14th of Sept) predictably they've already been inundated but I certainly hope there are more funds made available to musicians and somehow the mega rich rock stars bail out some of the great venues.
The fusion Fund gives out small grants of £2,000 to £5,000 to musicians so that they can hire rehearsal spaces, take time to develop ideas, or so that they can travel etc. More details here...
https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk/assets/files/new_fusion_application_guidelines.pdf
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I got one art O'level it did nothing for me

[Imani]

I was heartened to recently see Ian Brown and Van Morrison calling out the inanity of the measures:

Singer Ian Brown is facing a backlash after one of his tweets appeared to suggest he was against coronavirus vaccines, lockdowns and face masks.

The former Stone Roses frontman, 57, sparked outrage when he posted: "NO LOCKDOWN NO TESTS NO TRACKS NO MASKS NO VAX #researchanddestroy."

https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-stone-roses-star-ian-brown-faces-backlash-for-anti-vax-tweet-12064735

Van Morrison has denounced the supposed “pseudoscience” around coronavirus and is attempting to rally musicians in a campaign to restore live music concerts with full capacity audiences.

The 74-year-old Northern Irish singer launched a campaign to “save live music” on his website, saying socially distanced gigs were not economically viable. “I call on my fellow singers, musicians, writers, producers, promoters and others in the industry to fight with me on this. Come forward, stand up, fight the pseudo-science and speak up,” he said.

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/aug/25/van-morrison-blasts-covid-gig-limits-pseudoscience

[Trojan]

Ah yes. Ian Brown and Van Morrison. The first two people I turn to when seeking medical advice.
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Richard Eddington is innocent.

http://2-tone.info/

[kennybacon]

It would definitely be more credible if it was coming from from Dr & The Medics and We Are Scientists

I wonder what The Vaccines think?
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Bernie Rhodes Knows - Dont Argue

[Imani]

Bureaucrats have shown scant regard for the "medical advice" they were happy to impose on the population: Step forward Prof Neil Ferguson, Phil Hogan and his merry band of 81 ministers etc. Medical porkies would be closer to the mark.

Then again, ours is not to reason why. Not only are they above the law, those bureaucrats are clearly blessed with superhuman immune systems

[Imani]

The highly misleading way in which 'llurgy statistics' are being presented by bureaucracy and other corporations is covered in this 37 min presentation from Sept 8th. No hyperbole or sensationalism here, just a calm look at the facts as they concern Europe as well as North and South America.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UvFhIFzaac