The Music Room

Key music industry fi gures support ‘Own Our Venues’ campaign WORDS BY EMILY MILLER

Since the start of the Covid crisis, the grassroots music sector acquired over £90m of new debt, yet 67% of Cultural Recovery Grant was paid to landlords, according to Music Venue Trust. It says the solution is for grassroots music venues to purchase their own properties, but this is a di cult feat.

Music Venue Trust, the UK charity which represents hundreds of grassroots music venues (GMVs), has attracted widespread investment, endorsements and support from across the music industry for its ‘Own Our Venues’ initiative.

Key fi gures from all sectors of the music industry have o ered their support to the project, which aims to purchase the freehold of grassroots music venue properties via a Charitable Community Benefi t Society named Music Venue Properties (MVP).

With GMVs now also facing a critical threat from spiralling energy costs and the cost-of-living crisis, Music Venue Trust has reiterated and reinforced its remit to tackle short-term threats alongside the need to provide genuine long-term solutions.

Mark Davyd, CEO of Music Venue Trust, said: “I don’t want to keep walking in and out of people’s o ces for the next decade begging for shortterm cash because this or that beloved venue is under threat of closure. With our Own Our Venues initiative, Music Venue Trust has created a real, long-term, deliverable solution to the challenges facing GMVs, and we are delighted that its value is being recognised by leading voices in our industry across every sector.

“We have a thriving music industry that has survived and is thriving despite a major pandemic, and our

MARK DAVYD, CEO OF MUSIC VENUE TRUST

WE HAVE A THRIVING MUSIC INDUSTRY THAT HAS SURVIVED AND IS THRIVING DESPITE A MAJOR PANDEMIC

job is to ensure the grassroots music venue sector isn’t left behind.”

Leicester’s own grassroots venue The Charlotte closed down after fi nancial di culties back in 2009. Arguably, The Charlotte was Leicester’s most vital venue for nurturing upcoming talent in the city, whilst attracting acts from the rest of the UK.

Manager Andy Wright, who sadly passed away in 2022, ran the muchloved venue for 23 years. During that time, some of the most famous bands in the country such as Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian and Coldplay performed on stage there.

On the closure, Andy made no secret that the fi nancial pressures of competitive larger venues across the UK, high running costs and a lack of support just became too stressful to maintain the venue.

When a city loses a grassroots venue like this, the knock-on e ects are huge losses for tourism, the nurturing of musical talent in the area, and the overall appeal of the city from a music perspective.

Local people can help GMVs by supporting the initiative at musicvenueproperties.com/getinvolved.

WHAT IS MUSIC VENUE TRUST?

Created in January 2014, the charity aims to secure the long-term future of iconic grassroots music venues (GMVs) such as Hull Adelphi, Exeter Cavern, and Southampton Joiners.

These venues have played a crucial role in the development of British music over the last 40 years by nurturing local talent, providing a platform for artists to build their careers, and develop their music and their performance skills.

The team’s work is supported by a Board of Trustees, made up of professionals who are passionate about GMVs and their social, cultural and economic value.