Labour calls on the Government to act now on helping small music venues, not to play for time
Following growing pressure from Labour and the music industry, the Government has promised to look again at the problems facing grassroots music venues and implementing the “Agent of Change” principle.
After Labour tabled amendments to the Planning and Housing Bill, the Government finally said it would now engage with small music venues and the music industry. Michael Dugher MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has written to John Whittingdale, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to call on the Government to do this as a matter of urgency. And if the Government fails to act soon, Labour will be ready to bring amendments back to the House of Commons at a later stage of the Planning and Housing Bill.
Letter to Rt Hon John Whittingdale, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Dear Secretary of State,
I welcome that the Government has finally bowed to pressure and has promised today to engage with the music industry and to look again at the problems facing grassroots music venues.
I would urge that Ministers within the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Communities and Local Government do this as a matter of urgency as many small music venues are currently in crisis. As you will be aware, the Mayor of London’s Music Venue Taskforce reported in October that grassroots venues in the capital have declined by 35 per cent in the past eight years.
This is far from unique to the capital. Venues in Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol, Plymouth, Newport and Swindon, to mention just a few, have either closed or have had considerable threats of closure placed on their businesses in recent years.
It is clear that the guidance provided to planning authorities on how to deal with grassroots music venues is insufficient. The Government’s permitted development right also enables offices to be converted into homes without having to apply for full planning permission, bypassing environmental noise assessments. This means that venues that happily existed previously alongside office spaces now have residents as neighbours who raise complaints with local authorities concerning the noise emitted from venues, particularly in the evenings.
The “Agent of Change” principle, which is unanimously backed by the music industry, would put responsibility for noise management issues on the incoming individual or business. This principle is just common sense and only a change in legislation would adequately resolve the situation.
It is no doubt a step forward that the Government has agreed to learn more about the problems facing grassroots music and will consider implementing the “Agent of Change” principle. But it is a shame that Ministers have been so slow to act as I know the industry has been trying to talk to Ministers about this issue for many months now.
Labour will hold the Government to account on its promise to engage with the music industry. And if the Government still fails to act, Labour will be ready to bring our amendments back to the House of Commons at a later stage of the Planning and Housing Bill.
Small music venues are vital as they act as important centres for cultural activity in our communities and are also important hubs for local music talent. They offer a means by which musicians and performers can cultivate and nurture their creativity. A failure to act now would put all this at risk.
Best wishes,
Michael Dugher MP
Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
cc John Healey MP
cc Brandon Lewis MP
cc Ed Vaizey MP
