Tag: Culture Media and Sport Committee

‘Grassroots music venues are in crisis’

A new levy on arena and stadium tickets and a cut in VAT are urgently needed to support grassroots music venues across the country as they struggle to cope with a crisis of closures and soaring costs, says a Westminster committee.

The recommendations are in a report from the cross-party Culture, Media and Sport Committee, which highlights how small local venues integral to the pipeline of professional creative and technical music talent are stopping performances or closing entirely at a rate of two per week.

The Committee also heard about how artists are facing a “cost of touring crisis”, while promoters are struggling to get shows off their spreadsheets and into venues.

On top of immediate financial help through a levy-funded support fund and a targeted temporary VAT cut to help stem the tide of closures, the report says a comprehensive fan-led review of live and electronic music should be set up this summer to examine the long-term challenges to the wider live music ecosystem.

The Committee inquiry, launched at the Music Venue Trust’s Venues Day in October 2023, heard from across the sector1 of the scale of the crisis facing venues and the impact this is having on artists and all those that rely on them for business.

The MVT described 2023 as the most challenging year for the sector since the trust was founded in 2014, while Creative UK said the grassroots music sector took a ‘battering’.

In total the number of GMVs declined from 960 to 835 last year, a net decrease of 13%, representing a loss of as many as 30,000 shows and 4,000 jobs.

The report says that given the urgency of the crisis, a voluntary levy on arena and stadium concert tickets would be the most feasible way to have an immediate impact, creating a support fund for venues, artists and promoters administered by a trust led by a sector umbrella body.

The Committee also calls for the industry to ensure the levy cost is not passed on to music fans. If there is no agreement by September or if it fails to collect enough income to support the sector, the Government should step in an introduce a statutory levy, the report adds.

On VAT relief, the Committee calls for a temporary cut based on venue capacity, with the Government undertaking analysis to assess the impact to inform future decisions.

Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said: “We are grateful to the many dedicated local venues who gave up their time to take part in our inquiry. They delivered the message loud and clear that grassroots music venues are in crisis.

“The ongoing wave of closures is not just a disaster for music, performers and supporters in local communities up and down the country, but also puts at risk the entire live music ecosystem. If the grassroots, where musicians, technicians, tour managers and promoters hone their craft, are allowed to wither and die, the UK’s position as a music powerhouse faces a bleak future.

“To stem the overwhelming ongoing tide of closures, we urgently need a levy on arena and stadium concert tickets to fund financial support for the sector, alongside a VAT cut to help get more shows into venues.

“While the current focus is on the many grassroots music venues falling silent, those working in the live music sector across the board are also under extraordinary strain. It is time that the Government brought together everyone with a stake in the industry’s success, including music fans, to address the long-term challenges and ensure live music can thrive into the future.”

Among the report’s other recommendations are for the Government and Arts Council to make it easier for the live music sector to apply for public funding and for stakeholders across the industry to continue to support the Featured Artists’ Coalition’s campaign to end punitive fees on artists’ merchandise.

Further information:

New unauthorised entry offence and police collaboration needed to boost sport fan safety, say MPs

The creation of a new criminal offence of unauthorised entry to a football match and bolstering collaboration between UK and overseas police are among recommendations from MPs on how to improve safety at sporting events at both home and abroad.

Today’s report from the Culture Media and Sport Committee comes after its inquiry examining safety spectator issues following the disorder at Wembley at the Euro 2020 final and the chaotic scenes faced by Liverpool supporters caused by police failings at the Champions League final in Paris last year.

In a week when hundreds of thousands of fans will be attending football and other big sports fixtures, the Committee concludes that while sporting bodies have learned lessons from past disasters and improved stadiums and policing, sporting events are still not environments that ensure all fans are able to attend.

The disorder at Wembley in 2021 included instances of people without tickets attempting to enter the stadium using fakes, tailgating or through force. Warning that the lack of a distinct criminal penalty is allowing the practice to continue seemingly unchallenged, the Committee backs the Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Bill introduced by committee member Kevin Brennan MP and urges the Government to ensure the legislation is passed.

The Bill would create an offence of unauthorised entry at football matches and allow a football banning order to be imposed on conviction.

The report also calls for the expansion of safe standing trials, for police and clubs to take the use of Class A drugs at sporting events more seriously, steps to monitor and tackle anti-social behaviour and discrimination and for measures to ensure stadiums are accessible for all.

On protecting fans abroad, the Committee describes as ‘disgraceful’ the treatment of Liverpool fans by French authorities at the 2022 Champions League final, with their approach worsened by attempts to blame Reds supporters.

Evidence received by the Committee suggests that the attitude of foreign police forces to British fans heavily contributed to the chaos. The report therefore recommends that the Government works with overseas counterparts to bolster the role of British police travelling with fans and their collaboration with local forces.

Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the CMS Committee, said: “Fans flocking to festive fixtures at this time of year should be able to enjoy time with family and friends in sports grounds that are secure, inclusive and welcoming environments.

“Sadly, the rise in disorder at football post-pandemic and near disasters that occurred at Wembley and in Paris have shown there is much to be done to ensure a safe time for all. The Government, police, clubs and governing bodies all have a role to play.

“Tailgating and other forms of unauthorised entry into grounds are an increasing problem at high-profile matches putting safety at risk from overcrowding. Those involved should know that they will face consequences and the Government should back legislation to ensure they can be banned.

“At big games in Europe, too often the attitude of foreign police to British fans leads to unacceptable treatment of innocent supporters. The Government needs to work with overseas counterparts to bolster the role of British police travelling with teams and collaboration with local forces.”

Main conclusions and recommendations

Protecting fans abroad

  • The treatment of Liverpool fans by French authorities at the 2022 Champions League final was disgraceful and worsened by attempts of the authorities and UEFA to blame the supporters. The attitude of foreign police forces to UK football fans heavily contributed to the chaos.
  • The Government should work to foster improved relationships with other governments on policing sporting events in order to bolster the role of British police travelling with UK teams and their collaboration with local forces.

Policing

  • The unauthorised entry of ticketless individuals at football matches creates a risk to their safety and the safety of legitimate, paying fans. While such acts are likely already illegal, the lack of a distinct criminal penalty that includes the use of the proven deterrent of Football Banning Orders, is allowing this practice to continue seemingly unchallenged.
  • The Committee welcomes the introduction of the Unauthorised Entry to Football Matches Bill and calls on the Government to ensure its passage into law during this session of Parliament.
  • Sporting bodies should increase their financial contribution to the safety of fans outside of the stadium.
  • The Government should work with police and sporting bodies to introduce a centralised system to report and record discrimination and antisocial behaviour at sporting events.

Alcohol and drug use at sporting events

  • The evidence available on the impact of alcohol on disorder at football matches does not provide a compelling case either for the status quo or for a significant relaxation of the current legislation.
  • The Government’s review of the Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985, alongside a responsible alcohol sale pilot scheme, provides an opportunity for comprehensive evidence gathering.
  • The Government should consult with other sporting bodies and also ensure that the alcohol sale pilots are undertaken alongside the Committee’s recommended improved reporting of hate crime and antisocial behaviour to ensure the impacts are fully understood before any further decisions are taken.
  • The increasing use of Class A drugs at sporting events is something that police and clubs should both be taking more seriously. It is unclear whether the use of Football Banning Orders for Class A drugs provides an adequate deterrent.
  • Further work is needed by the police to understand the prevalence of drug supply and possession.

Stewarding

  • Stewards should not be seen merely as volunteers or fans who get to see the game for free. They are crucial to the safety of all sporting events and their responsibilities have grown over the years. The resources available to all major UK sports should allow for the better treatment of stewards, including an appropriate wage.
  • Stewards, employers and fans would all benefit from clarity on the roles, responsibilities and standards for stewards. The Committee recommend that the Sports Ground Safety Authority should develop and publish minimum expectations for stewarding standards in consultation with all those involved in major sporting events.
  • The Government and SGSA should work with sporting bodies to establish a central training fund, with contributions from sporting leagues being tied to their revenue.

Stadium management

  • Local authorities should include a wider variety of perspectives in Safety Advisory Groups with efforts to reach demographic groups that have been previously disregarded.
  • As long as football clubs can prove that they have a comprehensive stewarding plan for safe standing and follow the licenced standing criteria from the SGSA Further safe standing pilots should be encouraged.
  • Poor stadium design raises fundamental issues around equality, diversity and inclusion that are not being fulfilled to an acceptable level by the design of spaces intended for use by fans. Being unable to accommodate women and disabled fans in an appropriate way sends the message that they are not welcome and undermines their safety, security and dignity when attending matches.
  • The SGSA should update its Green Guide with a requirement for new and redeveloped stadia to better accommodate all fans, including women and disabled people.