Covid-19: Plan B Places Brighton Music Venues In Jeopardy

Grassroots music venues are calling for more support from the government after attendances dropped by almost a quarter.

Venues across Brighton and Hove have seen cancellations and audience numbers “fall off a cliff” since the government announced “Plan B” coronavirus restrictions last Wednesday (15 December).

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a £1 billion support package for hospitality and leisure businesses today (Tuesday 21 December) in the form of one-off grants of £6,000.

But the sum covers an unknown period, without any details of restrictions or limitations on businesses after the Prime Minister ruled out any changes until after Christmas.

Steve Jones, from Club Revenge, in Old Steine, Brighton, was frustrated at having to cut staff hours at what would usually be one of the busiest times of year.

He said:

“After seeing a really positive return to events after 19 July, news of omicron has caused our customer numbers to plummet.

“We are seeing less than half the usual number through the door versus a normal December and advanced ticket sales for future shows have ground to a halt.

“As a result, we’ve had no choice but to cut staff hours, leaving them short at an already challenging time of year.

“Without urgent and fast financial support, our situation is simply unsustainable.”

Bill Smith, from the Latest Music Bar, in Manchester Street, Brighton, said that business had “fallen off a cliff”. He said that the situation was “disastrous”, with all pre-Christmas events cancelled.

Paul Musselwhite, from Komedia, in Gardner Street, Brighton, said:

“The current impact on the venue at our busiest time of year – after nearly two hard years just trying to survive – is devastating.

“With no current support in place, the government expects venues like us to just limp along towards Christmas hoping for the best.”

Matthew Dimmack, from Chalk, in Pool Valley, Brighton, said that political mismanagement and indecision had caused public fear and left businesses in turmoil.

He said:

“It’s an effective lockdown without the support. While Rishi Sunak was supposed to be meeting with hospitality leaders, he was courting private healthcare CEO’s in the USA.”

The Music Venue Trust has criticised the government for announcing a £30 million Cultural Recovery Fund that does not mention grassroots music venues.

Despite grassroots venues facing restrictions as soon as Plan B was announced, the initial support was focused on theatres, orchestras and museums until next March.

A survey carried out by the trust yesterday (Monday 20 December) found that attendance at music venues had dropped by 23 per cent nationally.

It also found that more than 140,000 ticket holders did not turn up to gigs across the country.

The trust’s strategic director Beverley Whitrick said that this contributed to lost bar takings and excess staff costs.

She said:

“Rapid declines in attendance at this time of year represent an exponential threat to the whole sector – and losses of this magnitude cannot be sustained without throwing hundreds of music venues into crisis mode and at risk of permanent closure.”

Mark Davyd, chief executive of the Music Venue Trust, wants the government to manage the effects of the “Plan B” measures on venues by ring-fencing money from the Culture Recovery Fund for the sector.