“Smaller independent music establishments are where I grew up and my career could have gone very differently,” said Sir Paul McCartney.
“This is where we are developing our love for live music, and without it, I certainly wouldn’t have been able to tell you what I’m doing now because, without the help and encouragement from the music community and the supporters throughout the UK and abroad, my life could have been so different today.”
Brighton’s Music Venues
Brighton’s nightlife has always been legendary.
But several venues, including many of the most famous such as the Royal Albert Hall and the Queen’s Stand, have closed over the past decade.
There are many other bars, including King, Queen, and StIene, which service the gay market in the city centre.
The King and Queen, Mrs. Brown, St George’s and Mr. and Mrs. Bar and plenty more are some of the modern famous pubs and bars in the city centre.
These local venues led to the growth of touring promotions and the lively music scene and the growth of the Brighton and Hove Music Festival.
Over the years, musicians have been able to practice stage art before their audiences and play in the backrooms of bars and pubs.
However, after housing construction increased in the centers of British towns, the noise complaints of residents have struck many music venues very hard.
Protection for Local Music Venues
In the face of yet another development of the city centre, how can independent music venues protect themselves?
Councilors recently approved protections for Brighton and Hove’s bars, music venues, and independent shops.
As part of the Council ‘s strategy for the next 10 years, safeguards were brought forward.
They seek to support local stores in The Lanes as well as the North Laine and shopping lanes outside Brighton’s city centre.
The regulations would also make it more difficult to turn pubs into residences.
The City Planning and Development Authority (PDA) and the City Council will now offer advice to the developers before they can launch their housing projects.
The process also includes “agent of change rules”, so if an existing business is likely to affect a new home, it is the responsibility of the developer to avoid nuisance.
Also, it can be arranged to make it harder for residents of the new development to make a fuss about existing business activities.
The council has announced, that the Music venues would get added protection in the second part of the development plan, which has to be approved yet.
These venues are open to multiple music genres such as rock, folk music, blues, jazz, and country music depending upon the event and time.
Paul O’Neill, chairman of the Music Venues UK, who advocated for the reform, told reporters: “We, who have worked so hard to protect the survival of the UK’s pubs and music venues, have won a massive success.
And while the memories I treasured in these tiny and dingy places are amazing, I am saddened by the fact that they are almost outdated while some are already close along with the rising costs.
On Larger Music Venues
At the hearing, the Digital and Creative Industries Minister recognized that it is not yet possible to help larger venues, however, he said that he was waiting for that to be applied.
UK Music expressed disappointment that no options were identified to prevent detrimental consequences on the festival and event sector from the latest exemption and urged the government to review the implications of the exclusion and create an assistance plan to minimize its harmful impacts.
“We are requesting the government to maintain a status quo and not to place restrictions on this sector and to encourage it to continue to thrive.”
“In reducing the burden of business rates on music venues, the Government should consider reviewing the latest business rate changes immediately and implement or expand current relief schemes.
Treasury officials aim to increase the possibility that the rate at which businesses start to pay their corporate rates will be based on their property’s rental value.”
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