Music Venue Trust

21 posts

Live sector provides £6 billion boost to UK economy, but grassroots still in crisis

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LIVE • 3 min read

Live sector provides £6 billion boost to UK economy, but grassroots still in crisis

LIVE has published a report that says live music delivered a £6 billion boost to the UK economy last year. However, the grassroots of the sector is still in crisis. LIVE calls for a VAT cut on tickets, while LIVE member Music Venue Trust has renewed its call for a ticket levy on large-scale shows…

Chris Cooke • 04 Sep 2024

Music Venue Trust seeks to gain political momentum with Manifesto For Grassroots Music

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Music Venue Trust • 2 min read

Music Venue Trust seeks to gain political momentum with Manifesto For Grassroots Music

The Music Venue Trust is sending a manifesto to everyone standing in the UK General Election. The trade group is keen to maintain momentum following the election on things like introducing a ticket levy on large-scale shows to support the grassroots community, which was backed by MPs last month…

Chris Cooke • 11 Jun 2024

MPs set September deadline for ticket levy to support grassroots venues and shows

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Culture, Media & Sport Select Committee • 7 min read

MPs set September deadline for ticket levy to support grassroots venues and shows

The culture select committee in the UK Parliament has published its report on grassroots music venues. It says a system for charging a levy on arena shows to support the grassroots community should be in place by September, and that the government should instigate a temporary VAT cut on tickets…

Chris Cooke • 13 May 2024

Setlist Podcast: Arena ticket levy by September, MPs demand

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Setlist • 4 min read

Setlist Podcast: Arena ticket levy by September, MPs demand

The warning from MPs to the UK government that there is an urgent need to support grassroots music venues, calls for SXSW London to shift its planned June 2025 date, and more…

Andy Malt & Chris Cooke • 11 May 2024

Music Venue Properties announces purchase of The Ferret in Preston

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Music Venue Properties • 2 min read

Music Venue Properties announces purchase of The Ferret in Preston

A second venue has been acquired by Music Venue Properties, the charitable community benefit society set up as part of Music Venue Trust’s Own Our Venues initiative. It means The Ferret in Preston will now have a landlord that exists to support local grassroots music communities…

Chris Cooke • 10 May 2024

Manchester’s new Co-op Live arena cancels launch shows as power issues delay opening

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Co-op Live • 2 min read

Manchester’s new Co-op Live arena cancels launch shows as power issues delay opening

The opening shows at Manchester’s new Co-op Live venue have been postponed after technical problems resulted in thousands of tickets for a test event this weekend being cancelled at the last minute…

Chris Cooke • 22 Apr 2024

Co-op Live GM says grassroots venues are “poorly run”, before cancelling thousands of tickets to test event at the very last minute

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Co-op Live • 4 min read

Co-op Live GM says grassroots venues are “poorly run”, before cancelling thousands of tickets to test event at the very last minute

Manchester’s big new arena venue, Oak View’s Co-op Live, is due to officially open tomorrow. However, technical problems forced the venue to significantly cut the capacity for a test event on Saturday, which led to lots of angry concert-goers venting on social media…

Chris Cooke • 22 Apr 2024

Setlist Podcast: Make big shows fund grassroots music, politicians told

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Setlist • 3 min read

Setlist Podcast: Make big shows fund grassroots music, politicians told

UK politicians hear possible solutions to the grassroots venues crisis, Nirvana logo dispute back in court…

Andy Malt & Chris Cooke • 29 Mar 2024

Night & Day ruling makes it “open season” on Manchester’s night-time economy says Music Venue Trust boss

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Night & Day • 4 min read

Night & Day ruling makes it “open season” on Manchester’s night-time economy says Music Venue Trust boss

The Night & Day venue will be able to continue to run club nights, following the ruling in its protracted legal battle with Manchester City Council over a noise complaint. However, the wording of the decision has raised concerns that other nearby venues may now face similar complaints…

Chris Cooke • 19 Mar 2024

Setlist Podcast: When arts funding and politics collide

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Setlist • 4 min read

Setlist Podcast: When arts funding and politics collide

Kneecap threaten to sue the British government for blocking funding to expand their international career, and MLC goes legal over mechanical royalties on its free service…

Andy Malt & Chris Cooke • 16 Feb 2024

As another grassroots venue closes, MVT renews calls for a ticket levy

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The Chameleon • 2 min read

As another grassroots venue closes, MVT renews calls for a ticket levy

Nottingham’s Chameleon has become the latest UK grassroots venue to close, following warnings that it was at risk last year. Following the news, the Music Venue Trust has again called on the music industry and politicians took at at a levy on large-scale shows to support small venues…

Chris Cooke • 14 Feb 2024

Precedent-setting Night & Day dispute back in court next week, with Manchester's music city credentials on the line

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Night & Day • 3 min read

Precedent-setting Night & Day dispute back in court next week, with Manchester's music city credentials on the line

Supporters of the Night & Day venue in Manchester say they hope a court hearing next week will finally resolve a legal dispute with the city’s council over a noise abatement order, with the Music Venue Trust stating that the case is “precedent-setting”…

Chris Cooke • 26 Jan 2024