Live music faces ‘existential threat’ as energy crisis dawns
The music business has warned that venues and studios are in the midst of an “existential threat” and could face closures without proper support during the impending energy crisis.
While the Government have promised to help domestic households hit by rocketing fuel bills, it is yet to offer any specific support to the music and leisure industries.
UK Music Chief Executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin has called on ministers to cut VAT from its current 20 per cent and extend business rate to help to music hubs across the country.
Based on a survey of its 941 venue members, the Music Venue Trust (MVT) revealed gig venues face an average 316 per cent rise in fuel bills – taking the average fuel bill cost to £5,179 per month per venue – up from the current average of £1,245.
MVT is now warning that the surge in energy bills means that around 30 per cent of the entire network of venues face the doom of permanent closure.
Speaking to City PM, the co-owner of Hackney-based music venue Paper Dress Vintage, Steve Nix, said that we are in the middle of a “crisis upon crisis”.
Calling the cost of living crunch and soaring energy bills a “twin attack” on the Covid-battered live music scene, he said small venues, like his own, must resort to “energy saving measures”, without “scrimping on the important things” for music lovers, like lighting and experience.
He said his own vintage-shop-turned-music-bar had already seen bills rocket 50 per cent, with “all eyes on October”.
“Running a music venue is an energy intensive exercise, from keeping fridges cool for drinks, to providing stage lighting”, he said.
Nix warned that without action, there is a risk that the companies that managed to survive the pandemic will soon be wiped out.
Njoku-Goodwin echoed this point. “We all saw just how miserable life was without live music during the pandemic, when venues were closed for months – the high cost of energy bills could now close them forever,” he said.