Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced that business rates will be cut by 20% for pubs, clubs and live music venues across England from April next year. The Music Venue Trust, a charity that protects and improves UK grassroots music venues, welcomed the move but called for the same relief to be offered across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Charity welcomes relief but urges wider support
Mark Davyd, chief executive of the Music Venue Trust, said: “Music Venue Trust warmly welcomes this announcement from the government, and its recognition that grassroots music venues are essential to our local communities.” He described the 20% additional reduction on business rates from April 2027 as “an encouraging first step” in restoring live music’s central role in towns and cities.
Davyd added: “There remain some issues of implementation of previous reliefs, and we will work with colleagues in government to ensure that all grassroots music venues in England are recognised and eligible.” He called on the Senedd, Holyrood, and the Northern Ireland Assembly to match the support using Barnett formula consequentials, saying venues in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland must have a level playing field for touring across the UK.
Discount details and funding
The discount will apply to nearly 32,000 hospitality businesses but will not be available to the very largest live music venues. It will cost around £100 million a year. Davyd urged the government to reconsider the eligibility limit so that all live music spaces qualify, supporting jobs, local economies and communities.
The overhaul of business rates will be funded through a review of reliefs for businesses that “do not make a positive contribution to local communities”, such as vape shops, and a crackdown on online marketplaces that do not comply with tax obligations, according to No 10.
Industry reaction
Tom Kiehl, chief executive of UK Music, which represents the production side of the British music industry, said: “We welcome this much needed support for live music venues. These spaces are essential to the future of our world-leading music industry and serve as vital cultural hubs for communities right across the UK. We have lost too many venues to soaring business rates and these cuts offer a crucial lifeline to those still struggling to make ends meet.” He urged the government to extend the support to recording studios, which have also been lost at a high rate.
