Struggling Bristol music venue "optimistic" about support
The government is being called on to help after hundreds of venues shut last year
Last updated 12th Apr 2024
A co-owner of a Bristol music venue who has admitted it's struggling financially says he's optimistic the government will offer more support.
Staff at the Jam Jar near Cabot Circus recently revealed it is struggling to recoup revenue lost because of a fire in 2022, while it continues to navigate the cost of living crisis at the same time.
In order to keep afloat the venue is now asking for donations from supporters via its website.
However, with more than 125 similar venues having closed across the UK in 2023, co-owner Hadie says he would like to see contributions from major gigs, known as a 'ticket levy' introduced by the government.
Speaking to Greatest Hits Radio he said: "I do believe there is a genuine impetus for the top end of the music industry, which we're all so proud of in England, to feed back into the grassroots.
"It's similar to football, we know that those players don't just appear in Manchester United's squad, and the England players, they start in small clubs, they get picked up, they get scouted, they get taken elsewhere.
"In order to feed that spawning ground, the same spawning ground (in music) is grassroots music venues in the UK."
In February, RADAR Festival became the first in the UK to announce it would voluntarily donate a portion of its ticket sales to grassroots music venues.
A percentage of the money made from each sale will go to the Music Venues Trust (MVT), which will then distribute it to venues via the charity's Pipeline Investment Fund.
However, Hadie hopes a new law will be brought in, to make such a scheme standard.
"I'm optimistic that the impetus is there," he said.
"I don't think it's a difficult policy for the government to enact. I do think it will be recommended..."
Hadie has recently travelled to Westminster with representatives from the MVT to discuss the idea with politicians.
"I was sat round a table in Portculis House....the Music Venues Trust have since the pandemic been trying to apply pressure to the music industry and encourage an inquiry into why grassroots music venues are struggling," he said.
"We talked about the ins and outs of what makes our business difficult and what makes grassroots music venues struggle and what makes them succeed. What was amazing was there was about six tables and all of them came up with the same answers.
"Without that whole ecosystem in place we'll all fall down and if we're all facing the same problems then us being a strong alliance and communicating with the relevant parties in Westminster I think is an amazing step forward for the idea of a ticket levy."
In the West Country famous Bath venue Moles announced it was closing in December, saying the cost of living crisis has "crippled" the sector.
"Meanwhile, the live sector at arena level and above is having a bumper year with record profits," Moles statement at the time read.
"While all these venues have closed, 7 new arenas are being built that will generate hundreds of millions a year.
"There needs to be a major shake-up of the live sector, with the big players supporting the grassroots where it all begins to secure that pipeline of talent.
"This is something that Music Venue Trust has been saying for years; maybe now the industry will listen."
We contacted the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport for a statement, who told us: "We provided nearly £250 million as a lifeline for grassroots music venues during the pandemic via the Culture Recovery Fund. We've continued to support venues like The Jam Jar through the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund, and small businesses more widely through business rates relief and the £18 billion Energy Bill Relief Scheme.
"We have increased the Supporting Grassroots Music Fund by an additional £5 million until March 2025 and are engaging with the live music industry on further opportunities for support."