Musicians and nightclub promoters are already dancing to Andy Burnham’s tune, after the brand new Prime Minister introduced a 20% reduce to enterprise charges for pubs, golf equipment and music venues. Talking completely to the Mirror, Prime Minister Andy Burnham mentioned: “I will be sincere, I grew up on nights out in Manchester, from the Haçienda to the little rooms the place the subsequent large act cuts its enamel.
“These locations gave folks like me someplace to belong, and I’ve watched too many go darkish. For too lengthy governments have stood by whereas they have been boarded up and handed to builders one after the other. Not anymore.
“From April we’re slicing enterprise charges for practically 32,000 pubs, golf equipment and dwell music venues, actual a refund of their tills. These locations are the beating coronary heart of our communities. We’re bringing hope again to each excessive avenue. Get this proper and there is good progress, and an evening out price having, in each city in Britain.”
Whereas he was nonetheless Mayor of Manchester, he additionally backed calls to chop the VAT price for hospitality companies from 20% all the way down to 10% – though this has not but been introduced as Authorities coverage.
And with TicketSource reporting that 48% of dwell music and leisure venues launched in 2025 have already closed, any monetary reduction can’t come quickly sufficient. Rapper Tinie Tempah, whose music has offered the soundtrack to quite a few nights out, thanks nightclubs for launching his profession. He says: “Venues are closing at an alarming price. As an artist, they’re the place I earned my stripes.”
One in 4 late evening venues have closed since 2020, with an additional 4% decline into 2026, in response to the newest Evening Time Financial system Market Monitor. Legendary LGBTQ+ bar Circa, which opens till 1am in London’s Soho, not too long ago introduced it’s closing after 15 years. Whereas the closure of Popworld and Ark made an enormous dent to Manchester’s Deansgate Locks, which was as soon as one of the crucial thriving locations within the metropolis.
And the identical sample of closures is being repeated nationwide. Tinie Tempah, who discovered fame with Move Out in 2010, and not too long ago carried out at Roundhay Competition in Leeds, has returned to music after an eight 12 months hiatus and is combating to maintain nightclubs open.
Tinie Tempah performs throughout Roundhay Competition (Picture: Redferns)
He says: “My music works extremely properly in a nightlife setting. The rationale I am nonetheless right here to this present day is due to my slog across the UK, enjoying all the little grassroots venues from after I was a lad aged 16, constructing that reference to audiences. I performed all types and went by way of the highs and lows of a sold-out venue to 12 folks being there, a stiff crowd.”
Gigging at nightclubs was as soon as the way in which that artists discovered a fan base. Tinie says: “With the ability to do a gig each weekend, for an unbiased artist, was undoubtedly like a game-changer. If we’re on the verge of shedding this as a tradition, what does that imply for the subsequent technology of artists?”
Berlin’s techno scene was formally added to the German UNESCO record of Intangible Cultural Heritage in March 2024, in response to Tinie. He says: “A protecting label was positioned over the techno scene and a number of the extra important venues in Berlin. Why are we not attempting to try this within the UK?
Clubbers benefit from the closing occasion at Turnmills, a legendary membership that closed its doorways in 2008(Picture: Common Photos Group through Getty Photos)
“We have birthed so many thrilling genres from this tiny island, partly down to those grassroots music venues which have gone on to resonate and affect folks everywhere in the world. Historic venues are being given over to property builders – simply take a look at the Manchester Hacienda. Why are we permitting this to occur?”
The star argues that hitting the dance flooring is sweet for the physique and the soul. He says: “It’s good for you bodily, and dancing releases endorphins, serotonin.”
Nightclubs are additionally a superb place to combine and make associates, says Tinie. He provides: “Publish-pandemic we bought right into a mindset of staying away from one another. However connecting with somebody, no matter their race, age, background, sexual orientation, over a tune, is so highly effective.
“It was nice what Andy Burnham did in Manchester, now the Authorities does have to step in and do one thing about nightlife.”
Fatboy Slim, actual title Norman Cook dinner, acting at a sell-out gig on the 60-person capability venue The Pipeline in Brighton(Picture: Lee London Images/PA Wire)
One other star, Norman Cook dinner aka DJ Fatboy Slim, teamed up with charity Music Venue Properties and acquired Brighton punk rock venue The Pipeline, which was dealing with closure. He says: “It now belongs to the neighborhood and I am very proud to be a part of that neighborhood. I performed right here two weeks in the past and it was fabulous.”
British music promoter and entrepreneur Sacha Lord, who co-founded The Warehouse Challenge membership evening and Parklife competition in Manchester, was Larger Manchester’s Evening Time Financial system Adviser underneath Mayor Andy Burnham from 2018 to January 2025.
He says: “Andy was as soon as in Freight Island subsequent door to The Warehouse Challenge and his children needed to come back in. So he messaged me and I used to be like, ‘you have to come as properly, Andy.’ He informed me, ‘no, it is not my factor, it is not my factor.’ Anyway, I took him on stage and he completely cherished Stylish with Nile Rodgers. Angela Rayner has been in too, and Bev Craig, who is about to be the brand new Mayor of Manchester. All of them like a bit of boogie.”
Sacha Lord, king of the dancefloor, who based Warehouse Challenge and Parklife(Picture: Darren Robinson Images)
Praising Mr Burnham for slicing the enterprise price, he says: “He completely will get it. He loves dwell music. He loves gigs. He is not considered one of these individuals who likes to face in a sanitised company field. He will be a nightmare for Particular Department, as a result of he’ll nonetheless wish to sit in his seats at Everton. He will not wish to sit within the Chairman’s Lounge.
“A number of weeks in the past when James performed on the Co-op Reside, the venue heard he was coming through his workplace, and mentioned, ‘oh, we’ll offer you a field.’ And it is like, ‘properly, no, I wish to be on the ground with everyone,’ and he took his son, Jimmy.”
However Mr Lord says a VAT discount should additionally come quickly. He says: “The underside line is that evening golf equipment have been completely crushed. Nobody’s making any cash for the time being, in order that VAT discount would make an enormous distinction.”
Stu Margetts (proper), one half of DJ duo ARKO // STU and co-founder of Ibiza Revival Occasions(Picture: MatthewK Images)
Marc Carter, founding father of clubbing establishment Ultravegas, agrees, saying: “The price of venues, artists, safety, manufacturing, insurance coverage and advertising and marketing has elevated enormously. That makes each occasion a monetary threat and leaves promoters working extremely laborious proper up till the doorways open.
“The associated fee-of-living disaster has clearly affected folks too. The saddest half is that when golf equipment and occasions disappear, we lose way over companies. Nightlife creates friendships, relationships, recollections and communities. It provides folks someplace to flee the pressures of on a regular basis life and categorical themselves. It additionally provides rising DJs, artists, performers and promoters someplace to be taught their craft.”
Stu Margetts, one half of DJ duo ARKO // STU and co-founder of Ibiza Revival Occasions provides: “The business wants significant authorities assist. Native authorities additionally have to recognise nightlife as an vital a part of our tradition. My message to Andy Burnham could be, ‘take the method you championed in Manchester onto the nationwide stage.’”
