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Only 13 percent of grassroots music venues in the UK say they will be able to open with two-metres social distancing in place, and they warn it could be financially ruinous.
Music venues across the UK have been closed since lockdown began in March, and are likely to be among the last places to set to reopen, due to the close proximity of crowds.
However, a new survey by the Music Venue Trust (MVT) found that fewer than one in seven venues could reopen with distancing in place – and 96 percent of those risks facing financial disaster due to the limited capacity.
As well as surveying 661 venues, the MVT also quizzed a further 28,640 music fans and found that 89 per cent of respondents are “very eager” to return to venues in general. However, only 36 per cent would currently feel happy attending gigs.
“Two metres or one metre, it makes no difference” said Mark Davyd, founder and chief executive of the MVT. “The message from Public Health England is that grassroots music venues should not currently be operating and the audience survey confirms that the gig goers already know this.”
This comes after the MVT helped temporarily save 140 music venues from the threat of closure, as part of their Save Our Venues campaign.
They are also calling on the government to provide an immediate cash injection of £50million to prevent a wave of permanent venue closures.
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