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In a move to level the venues landscape in London, today Green candidate for Mayor of London Zoë Garbett laid out a key pledge to redistribute funding away from the big venues that are already thriving, and towards the small venues that need every penny to survive.
Speaking with pub owners and workers at The Oval Tavern in Croydon today, the Green candidate for Mayor of London heard the difficulties of small venues in a cost-of-living crisis, and about the particular challenges a small venue faces compared to a huge corporate venue or stadium, with 125 venues forced to close down in 2023.
In a move to level the playing field, Zoë announced that she would work with councils to place a levy on the biggest stadiums and venues in London, to be redistributed to London’s grassroots venue. This would come from the profits of the big venues rather than increasing ticket prices.
It would also boost the artists getting started in these venues, and support the growth of London’s music and cultural scenes.
Speaking after her visit, Zoë Garbett said:
“Grassroots venues are the lifeblood of our culture. It’s so often small clubs, bars, performance spaces and arts spaces that are at the hearts of our communities. We depend on the work, opportunities, safety and inspiration they give us.
“But so many of London’s small venues are struggling. As huge stadiums and corporate venues rake in profits and bring in people from across the city and country to an area, the venues born and bred in that community often struggle to make ends meet.
“By introducing a new levy on huge corporate venues, we can harness and redistribute excessive profits to the grassroots community ventures, projects, artists and venues who need them most.“
The Greens’ policy would also include introducing a minimum proportion of concessionary tickets available per event at a minimum concessionary rates, set in discussion with grassroots music venues, organisations and communities near to stadiums.
Zoë Garbett is running for London Mayor alongside a slate of Green candidates of the London Assembly.