Grassroots music venues an 'important part of British culture'

Sybil Bell wants people to support their local venues throughout the year

Grassroots music venues are "a really important part of British culture", the founder of Independent Venue Week (IVW) has said.

The annual event celebrates independent music and arts venues and the people who own, run and work in them.

Sybil Bell, who formerly owned Moles in Bath, said times were "tough" for the owners of these spaces.

It comes as a new report said grassroots venues had their most challenging year in 2023.

The Music Venue Trust (MVT) report shows 125 spaces closed permanently and the remaining made an average of just 0.5% profit.

Venues are "very important" to music fan Matt Pugh, who likens them to churches.

He said he was not "belittling traditional or modern religion", but said they were "the ultimate place for me where I can begin and end a day".

"[They are] a place of discovery, a place of reminiscing, somewhere to meet old and new friends," he said.

Matt Pugh said The Fleece in Bristol is one of his favourite venues as it is "such a welcoming and accepting place"

Ms Bell hopes fans will use IVW to support small venues, which she says are "absolutely vital" to communities.

"It's so tough out there for everybody at the moment. But this is the week to buy a ticket for a gig and see some music with friends," she told BBC Introducing in the West.

Ms Bell said the people who own and run small venues have "real passion".

"They are absolutely determined to make sure that there is a space in the local community for arts and culture.

"When you're a truly independent venue you're the one taking the risk putting an artist on that perhaps nobody's heard of," she added.

Moles played host to artists including Oasis, Pulp and more recently Idles (pictured)

She said it was "heart-breaking" to hear about Moles - which played host to Oasis, Pulp and more recently Idles - closing down in December.

"It's really tough and I think that's a decision that wouldn't have been taken lightly," she said.

"That situation is replicated around the country," she added.

Hannah Ryan, who works for a ticketing platform, said: "I'm witnessing first-hand the fall of so many [venues] and it's heart-breaking seeing so many close [which is] fully detrimental to the livelihood of so many that work in the industry."

She added: "Grassroots venues in particular were a massive part of my growing up, discovering bands that were authentically themselves and finding your place in a 'scene'.

"We wouldn't have half of the major artists we have now if they didn't get the chance to experiment in grassroot venues and they wouldn't have built the fanbase they [have]."

Hannah Ryan said she had "met some of the best humans" at music venues

Daniel Pickard, assistant manager at the Frog and Fiddle in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, said IVW was "important" because "it connects us with our local community of music venues like never before".

The venue has not struggled as badly as some in recent years, which Mr Pickard puts down to tailored events and the venue's reputation.

However, he said they had also lowered ticket prices, introduced a price cap and offered a larger selection and array of free events.

"Essentially our aim is to encourage gig goers rather than punish them for curiosity with new artists," he said.

Mr Pickard added: "One of the main issues, likewise with our retail exodus on the high street, is town councils and governments are too slow to help and reduce the rot that is closures, leaving business owners feeling alone and without a future plan".

He said the venue had been "working hard" to provide "an unforgettable roster of artists" for IVW.

'Poignant moments'

Another music fan, Grace McWilliams, from Bristol, said venues were "vital for connection and belonging in a very individualised world".

"I love these poignant moments of shared emotion when you're swept away in a song, lost to your own thoughts or memories, yet connected to a room of others sharing the same moment," she said.

Independent Venue Week runs until 4 February.