Grass-roots Music Venues

Lord Vaizey of Didcot Excerpts

Monday 26th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness McIntosh of Pickering (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Vaizey of Didcot (Con)]

My Lords—

[The Earl of Clancarty (CB)]

My Lords—

--- Later in debate ---

[Lord Livermore (Lab)]

The Government have been very clear that the lower multipliers will broadly reflect the scope of the current retail, hospitality and leisure business rates relief, which is centred around retail, hospitality and leisure properties that are reasonably accessible to visiting members of the public. If a recording studio forms part of a single property with a qualifying hospitality or retail business, and the hospitality or retail aspect is the main purpose of the property, it will qualify for the lower multipliers.

[Lord Vaizey of Didcot (Con)]

My Lords, the whole House will agree that music venues are a vital part of our cultural ecosystem. Music venues are now benefiting from a voluntary grass-roots levy levied on concert tickets, which I understand the Government are keeping under review with a view to introducing a statutory levy. The Government are also talking about a tourist tax. I suspect I know what the Minister’s answer will be, but would it make sense to roll up consultation on a tourist tax and a ticket levy into one single tax?