Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what feedback stakeholders have given on the economic viability for live music venues to operate under social distancing guidelines.

We appreciate that the Covid-19 pandemic presents a significant challenge for live music venues. We are committed to reopening creative businesses, including live music venues, as soon as it is safe to do so.

The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport recently set out a five stage roadmap that the government will work through to get the live entertainment and outdoor events sectors back up and running as soon as possible. The ministerially-chaired Events and Entertainment Working Group was established to support the Secretary of State’s Cultural Renewal Taskforce, and it focuses on developing Covid-19 secure guidance to enable the safe reopening of the live entertainment and outdoor events sectors.

However, the Government recognises some live music venues will have difficulty operating financially under social distancing guidelines. On Sunday 5 July 2020, the Secretary of State announced a major £1.57 billion support package for key cultural organisations to help them through the coronavirus pandemic. This funding will provide targeted support to organisations across a range of cultural and creative sectors, including live music venues.