Manchester’s Co-Op Live has drawn criticism from the Music Venue Trust, after its executive director suggested that some grassroots venues were “poorly run”. The comments come after a planned opening weekend featuring Peter Kay was postponed for several days to address missing power supplies. Co-Op Live – which cost £365 million – is set to become the UK’s largest indoor arena when it opens. The Music Venue Trust has called for urgent government action to protect and support small venues, with over half of UK venues shutting down since 2023.
Co-Op Live’s executive director Gary Roden recently discussed a proposed £1 ticket levy on all gigs arena-sized and above to help secure the future of grassroots venues and artists. He suggested that he believes support should come directly from the government and added that he thinks some grassroots venues are poorly run. The Music Venue Trust has criticised Roden’s comments and presented figures to demonstrate the importance of small venues. However, Roden has said that he is “embracing the conversation” and is open to exploring ways in which Co-Op Live can support smaller venues.
Last month, the Music Venue Trust presented the UK parliament with a case for the £1 ticket levy, which it argues will force big companies to support smaller venues. The Trust has highlighted the challenges faced by small venues in recent years, including soaring energy prices, increasing rents, licensing issues, and noise complaints. In 2023, over half of UK venues had shut down, including the legendary Moles in Bath. The Trust has called for urgent government action and support from larger venues to address these challenges.
Co-Op Live is due to host Liam Gallagher, Take That, Nicki Minaj, Olivia Rodrigo, and Keane in the coming months. The venue will also host the 2024 MTV European Music Awards. However, the recent postponement of Peter Kay’s shows has sparked concerns about the venue’s preparedness and transparency. The Music Venue Trust has called on Co-Op Live to do more to support smaller venues and to address the challenges faced by the industry as a whole
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