'We're still closing': Why grassroots music venues in Scotland are pleading for help

The Scottish Budget includes a 40 per cent rate relief for music venues

A music charity has called on MSPs to enforce business rates relief for grassroots music venues amid a “concerning” decline.

A survey of the 70 members of the Music Venues Alliance Scotland (MVA Scotland), which employ more than 2,600 people in venues across Scotland, found the majority of grassroots venues - a third of which are registered as not-for-profit organisations - had a profit margin of less than half a per cent. Meanwhile, 43.8 per cent of them reported a loss in the past 12 months.

The 2025-26 Scottish Budget includes a 40 per cent rate relief for eligible hospitality businesses, including grassroots music venues with a maximum capacity of 1,500 people. This covers those with a rateable value of up to £51,000 - capped at £110,000 per business. The Budget was approved by Parliament in February.

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Across the UK, the report found a “huge decline” in locations on the UK’s primary and secondary touring circuits. In the 30-year period between 1994 and last year, those touring locations have collapsed, with an average tour in 1994 including 22 dates and the equivalent tour in 2024 consisting of only 11 dates. In Scotland, four venues closed within the 12 months to July last year.

Live music venues are struggling to make a profit.

MVA Scotland also reported a fall in the total number of live music shows of 8.3 per cent since 2023, accompanied by an even steeper decline in ticket revenues of 13.5 per cent.

However, the report revealed the Scottish venues staged over 14,000 live events comprising more than 128,000 individual artist performances given to a total audience of just over 1.6 million live music fans.

Mark Davyd, chief executive of Music Venue Trust (MVT), said, “The 2024 annual report recognises that after ten years of work by MVT, a very broad consensus has been built among politicians, industry, artists and the public that grassroots music venues must be protected, supported, encouraged and nurtured. In 2025 and beyond, we have to see that consensus bring forward positive, practical interventions in the real world.

“Venues, despite all the very welcome good intentions and acknowledgements they are receiving for their vital work, are still closing, still under extreme and totally unnecessary financial pressures, still failing to be recognised, as everyone agrees they should and must be, when government designs policy, taxation and legislation. It isn’t good enough to keep saying how much we all value them, we’ve got to practically do something about it. We need action, not words.”

Stina Tweeddale, Scotland co-ordinator of MVT, said “In Scotland, MSPs have an immediate opportunity to deliver that action. They can act right now to ensure that the commitment that every grassroots music venue under the 1,500 cap would receive rate relief in 2025-26 actually happens.

“At the moment a significant number of key venues will be excluded from that relief, against the commitment made by the Scottish Government and against the best interests of live music in Scotland.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring there is a thriving music industry in Scotland, including grassroots music venues, which are key to supporting emerging Scottish talent.

“Scotland’s hospitality industry benefits from the most generous small business rates relief in the UK, with around half of properties in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors continuing to be eligible for 100 per cent Small Business Bonus Scheme relief. Music venues liable for the Basic Property Rate and with a capacity of up to 1,500 people receive 40 per cent rates relief, capped at £110,000 per business.

“Individual local authorities are responsible for administering non-domestic rates and reliefs.”