An Open Letter to the UK Government
Since the start of lockdown we have been working tirelessly to look at ways in which we can continue to function as an independent music venue, as we move into ‘the new normal’. As a classical music venue in the heart of Manchester, we rely on income from ticket sales to support our programme and operations. Over the last few months that income has ground to a halt.
Our Grassroots Music Venues are the fundamental foundations and cornerstone on which our world beating £5.2 billion per year music industry has been built for the last 60 years.
Without our Grassroots Music Venues, there would be no Beatles. No Stones, no Led Zeppelin, no Duran Duran, no Sade, no Oasis, no Skunk Anansie, no Adele, no Ed Sheeran, no Dua Lipa. Our Grassroots Music Venues are absolutely essential to the whole UK music industry bouncing back at any time in the future.
We are urging the UK Government to help #saveourvenues and #dotherightthing
We are represented by Music Venue Trust, who have laid out a simple clear plan to the government of the support our sector needs to survive the next three months (July, August, September) and to recover in the future. It consists of just two steps.
1. A £50 million financial support package immediately
2. A reduction on VAT on future ticket sales, bringing tax in UK Grassroots Music Venues into line with our major international competitors
Today we have sent an Open Letter to the UK government, asking for their support in these crucial steps.
