The Music Venue Trust (MVT) has strongly criticized comments made by the executive director of Manchester’s Co-Op Live Arena, Gary Roden, regarding grassroots music venues. Roden’s remarks, which dismissed the need for support for smaller venues and suggested they are “poorly run,” have been met with outrage by the MVT.
In a statement to NME, MVT CEO Mark Davyd said that Roden’s comments are “disrespectful and disingenuous.” Davyd emphasized that grassroots music venues are facing significant challenges, including soaring energy prices, increased rent, and supply costs. He called on Co-Op Live to reconsider their position on supporting the UK’s music talent pipeline with meaningful actions that would actually make a difference.
The MVT has consistently advocated for a £1 ticket levy on all gigs arena-sized and above to support grassroots music activities. Roden, however, dismissed this proposal as “simplistic” and argued that the government should be responsible for supporting the live music ecosystem.
Davyd countered that the MVT has successfully distributed millions of pounds to venues, artists, and promoters in recent months and that a similar distribution system could be used to distribute funds from a ticket levy. He also pointed out that the UK’s grassroots music venues are not “poorly run” but rather are highly skilled and experienced sector facing significant challenges.
The irony of Roden’s comments is not lost on the music industry, as Co-Op Live’s own launch was postponed due to logistical issues. Davyd expressed hope that the challenges faced by Co-Op Live might give them a chance to reconsider their position on supporting the UK’s music talent pipeline.
The case for the £1 ticket levy was presented to the UK Parliament last month, with the MVT arguing that “the big companies are now going to have to answer” for the scale of the problem faced by smaller venues. In January, the Trust published a report that outlined the “disaster” that struck UK grassroots venues in 2023, with 125 venues abandoning live music and over half of them shutting entirely.
