The U.K.’s grassroots music venue sector is once again facing crisis, according to a statement from the Music Venue Trust, which says attendance to shows has dropped 23% since the announcement of new restrictions last week and the growing threat of the Omicron variant.
MVT cites a “catastrophic drop” in attendance, advance ticket sales and spend per head from 12/6-13, which it says places the sector back on red alert for the risk of permanent closures.
A survey of 284 respondents shows that 86% of venues have been negatively impacted by the public’s response to the Omicron variant.
During the same period, 76% of grassroots venues saw a decrease in their gross income, which declined 27% on average. In addition, 79% reported a rise in no-shows, with the average increase sitting at 23%, while 74% saw a decrease in advance ticket sales by 27%, on average.
Nearly 70% of venues had to cancel at least one event during the same time period, which was primarily due to a performer or member of the touring party testing positive for COVID-19 or poor sales. The amount of estimated gross income that’s been lost during the week sits at £1.9m.
