• Swindon & Wiltshire Culture
• Tuesday December 19 2023
• Author Name: Peter Davison

A ‘bold new strategy’ is being developed to save Bristol’s struggling music venues

Bristol City Council says it is developing a ‘bold new strategy’ with industry experts to save the city’s struggling music venues.

The council has been holding meetings – chaired by the city’s night time economy advisor, Carly Heath – with organisations including the Musicians Union, Night Time Industries Association, and the Music Venues Trust.

A recent roundtable – at which 70 industry experts were present – comes hot on the heels of an announcement by Moles, the renowned independent music venue in neighbouring Bath, that it was to close after 45 years in the face of rising costs.

It also comes amid criticism of the council for the cost of renovating concert venue Bristol Beacon – £84 million of the £130 million came from council coffers.

According to the council’s own licensing data Bristol has 12 live music venues and 27 nightclubs, with over 1,000 grassroots venues licensed for live music, recorded music, and dancing.

The roundtable heard that 75 per cent of these small music venues have received no public funding from the Arts Council.

Attendees emphasised the importance of grassroots music and its contribution to the wider cultural value of Bristol, with the night-time cultural and leisure sector alone supporting over 22,700 jobs.

As a result of the meeting, a Grassroots Music Fund has been proposed. The fund would add a small levy on the sale of concert tickets of up to three per cent, which would go into a central funding pot and be distributed via a grant, potentially offering struggling venues across the city an invaluable financial lifeline.

Roundtable attendees said the fund should support the three ‘pillars’ of the grassroots movement: venues, events and music making.

Bristol is a hub for live music

Carly Heath said: “As a city, our music industry punches way above its weight. Our artists, venues, promoters, festivals and audiences appreciate home-grown talent. Bristol music is more than just a sound, it’s a community.

“The future of music in Bristol deserves a collective conversation on sustainable solutions to funding, with the ambition for Bristol to continue to be a world leader in innovative and inclusive music scenes for generations to come.”

Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol, added: “Bristol’s Night Time Economy is an essential pillar of our city’s economy and culture, and we remain a pioneering destination for independent music.

“The challenging national picture highlights the hardship that local venues, organisers, and artists have been through recently, though we have thankfully avoided such closures in Bristol.

“We are proud of our city’s music scene, especially the possibilities that it provides for local talent to succeed in a thriving night-time economy. The pioneering initiative shown in this report could provide a viable plan for the future.

“It’s clear that, together, we have more work to do and I look forward to continuing to support the industry, who have worked tirelessly to put our city’s music scene on the map.”

Pictured: Royal Blood at Bristol Academy – one of Bristol’s larger venues – July 2021

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