27/01/2020: UK Music Deputy CEO Tom Kiehl responds to cuts to business rates after long campaign.
Following confirmation from the Government that they will now include live music venues in their business rates retail discount, UK Music Deputy CEO Tom Kiehl said:
“It’s excellent news that the Government has confirmed business rate relief will be extended to grassroots music venues from April.
We have campaigned for a long time to prevent venues from being vulnerable to huge hikes in rates. This welcome development represents an important lifeline in the fight to protect venues.”
Grassroots music venues had previously not been eligible for business rate relief under the Government’s retail discount scheme. The guidance to local authorities said that music venues “are not similar in nature” to pubs and clubs.
UK Music has long campaigned to get this issues addressed, including meeting with the former Chancellor of the Exchequer at the start of 2019. Find out more about the work that UK Music has done here.
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