Planning a future for music venues
As recently as January of this year, the business case I wrote to support investment in the Music Industry Sector Development plan for Liverpool City Region identified,
“a sector which is approaching a ‘tipping point’ in terms of its scale and density within Liverpool City Region – i.e., it’s on the verge of becoming a recognised national cluster, with all the productivity gains that follow from that. We believe that the actions proposed will accelerate the development of the music sector to put those gains in reach within five years.”
That vision, and its optimism, was based on evidence – particularly of the rapid growth of sound recording and music publishing activities over the previous five years, and the emergence of the Wirral as a source of new labels, new music and (with plans for Future Yard in Birkenhead well advanced) new venues.
Nine months later, that optimism looks misplaced. The restrictions placed on live entertainment have thrown the live music sector into disarray and despair. Along with musicians and people working in live venues and nightclubs, a whole supply chain of promoters, production services, rehearsal spaces, promotion and catering has been thrown out of work. The ambitions of the Liverpool City Region Music board, “to support the growth and development of a sustainable music tourism offer across the city region,” have been replaced by plans for recovery and speculation about when, and if so in what numbers, national and international visitors might return.
The prospect of no audiences and no revenue for an indefinite period has already had a measurable physical impact: Sound has closed, not to reopen; Zanzibar’s future hangs in the balance, dependent on a recovery plan; and Parr Street Studios (including Studio 2, an important small-scale venue) is marked down for redevelopment. That represents a crystallisation of a threat identified during my research for the Music Board strategy, back in 2017: that without ‘Agent of Change’ provisions (meaning new developments have to take account of existing occupants of neighbouring buildings, and make provision in their design and soundproofing), more and more venues would close.
Live music in Liverpool
“a sector which is approaching a ‘tipping point’ in terms of its scale and density within Liverpool City Region – i.e., it’s on the verge of becoming a recognised national cluster, with all the productivity gains that follow from that. ”
The publication of ‘Planning for the Future: The Impact on Music, Culture Arts and the Night Time Economy’ emphasises a similar set of long term economic and societal benefits from music as those identified in the LCR Music Industry Sector Development Plan. But it also brings to notice an additional level of structural threat to music venues within UK Government’s ‘Planning for the Future’ consultation proposals.
Even under current regulations, the enforcement of Agent of Change principles is at the discretion of the local authority. Planning, licensing, culture and business support are typically handled within different teams – and this can lead to the rights of existing venues being overridden by the interests of speculative developers. However, new proposals go further, to give a presumed right of development within some regeneration areas – exactly the types of places where music venues are typically found. Once a ‘local plan’ has been established, residents and businesses would lose their right to challenge individual planning consents. This could be a further threat to music and other live entertainment venues, already struggling massively with the impact of Covid restrictions.
I would argue that a proper understanding of value and cost of new developments should take account of the benefits of retaining venues – not only direct revenue, but indirect economic benefits of the night time and visitor economy, and the cultural and social benefits that arise from a local music scene. Against those, the short term returns from developers willing to tactically offset some of their increased land values through infrastructure levies look poor. Even in towns and cities whose music economy is an important part of their cultural and visitor economies, money talks – and cash-strapped councils, already hammered by austerity and with their reserves stripped to pay for emergency Covid relief for which central government is refusing to pay, will be hard pushed to make a decision between protecting venues and raising revenue to pay for essential services.
Bristol, UK
“Even in towns and cities whose music economy is an important part of their cultural and visitor economies, money talks – and cash-strapped councils, already hammered by austerity and with their reserves stripped to pay for emergency Covid relief for which central government is refusing to pay, will be hard pushed to make a decision between protecting venues and raising revenue to pay for essential services. ”
So blaming local authorities for failing to act would be like shooting the messenger. The best course of action is to look to improve the conditions under which both councils and venues are forced to work, and to seek to ensure that future legislation supports the preservation and growth of cultural assets, rather than forcing their sacrifice for short term revenue.
The struggle for recognition of the value of small music venues doesn’t hinge on a single issue – but responding to the consultation on the Planning for the Future proposals before the deadline of 29 October is one positive action you can take in that longer term campaign.