Small venues and industry leaders have been battling over the last few years to attempt to secure more funding and security for venues and upcoming artists. 

The last 12 months have seen steps in the right direction, including a government committee hearing where politicians were warned that intervention was needed urgently. Now – in perhaps the biggest boost of optimism – the Prime Minister has declared that he shares the same viewpoint as those arguing for more support.

Speaking in Milton Keynes yesterday (August 6), Starmer announced “a major expansion in youth services funding” which will see £88 million being invested in youth clubs and schools – in an attempt to get young people involved with music, sports and the arts.

I know how difficult it is raising children in an online world.

Today we’ve announced a major expansion in youth services funding, to support youth clubs, after school activities and local organisations — connecting young people to their communities.

Our Plan for Change is…

— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) August 6, 2025

NME spoke to the Prime Minister at the event, where they asked him about the threat facing UK grassroots venues and upcoming musicians.

Perhaps the biggest proposal from industry leaders is the £1 ticket levy. This would see any arena level or above gig in the UK give £1 of every ticket sold to a grassroots fund. Although this has seen backing from MPs such as Sir Chris Bryant MP, the pace of the rollout of such a levy is causing concern.

When asked about the proposal, Starmer confirmed his support, saying: “I’m very supportive of this initiative, the £1 ticket levy going back into grassroots, because so much of our music is grassroots. It’s obviously where a lot of musicians start off, and therefore I’m hugely supportive of it. I’d like to see it expanded even more, but I want to support it in any way we can.”

Despite the promising movements towards the introduction of the ticket levy, it is clear that action and legislation is needed much more urgently. Speaking at the government committee back in May, Music Venue Trust (MVT) CEO Mark Davyd warned that it could be another decade until the levy is fully in place: “Of nearly 6 million tickets that have been released since the December 18 ministerial meeting when we all agreed that it was going to be on every ticket, 92 per cent of those tickets don’t have it.”

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PM Keir Starmer shared the sentiment of Mark Davyd, saying more support is needed: “We need to support venues – large and small – across the country. I’ll be looking at what we can do in order to give them the chance not just to survive, but to thrive. There are so many different types of venues in different places where artists have performed for the first time, and go on to do amazing things.

“But also it’s where young people in particular access their first live gig. It’s likely to be the one nearest where they live – then that gives them an appetite to go to see more and more live music. We need more live music and we need to support it.”

Independent venues and upcoming artists all around the country will be hoping that these are not just hollow words. As the government committee heard in May, the creative industry is at real risk of dying. However, these words from the Prime Minister along with the recently announced fan-led review of live music, offer a glimmer of hope to those campaigning for urgent change.

The Leadmill – which has played host to huge acts including Oasis and Pulp since it’s opening in 1980 – was given twelve weeks to vacate it’s premises earlier this month following an ongoing legal battle with new landlords.

Electric Group initially served an eviction notice to the tenants in March 2022 as they allegedly look to rebrand the venue to Electric Sheffield. Following a long process, the appeal to overturn the eviction was eventually rejected in May 2025 and the Steel City will now officially be losing a cultural staple.

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The news has led to an outcry of despair and disappointment from the Sheffield and music world. Richard Hawley, former Pulp and Longpigs guitarist, is known as the musician to have played the venue more than anyone else.

The 58-year old singer-songwriter has now come out to share his anger at the decision, telling NME: “I’m trying not to get angry, but it’s very difficult because they say I’m the musician that’s played there the most by a long, long way.

“It’s probably true. I don’t want that to stop, and not just for me but other people. It’s a rite of passage. The people running it now are best placed to do so.”

Hawley has voiced his support for an urgent change of legislation to stop this from happening again. Over the last few years, there has been an increased call for music venues to own their own buildings. The idea of a “National Trust for music venues” has been floated about in an attempt to prevent landlords from closing down iconic buildings.

Begging the government to enact change, Hawley said in the same interview: “There desperately needs to be a change in legislation. If someone comes along and buys the land under your business and building and throws you out and turns it into flats – which happens all the time – or if they kick you out but steal your business, we’re talking about a serious moral issue.”

Highlighting the importance of these venues, and especially The Leadmill, he continued: “The Leadmill is out Cavern Club, it’s our Marquee, it’s our Hacienda, it’s our 100 Club. People from this city know best how to run that venue. I can’t see how a corporate-structured company can possibly understand the difference between clubbers, audiences and artists that come from here.

“Cities are living, breathing things, and it’s individuals that make up the vibe. Living in Sheffield is completely fucking different to living in Manchester or Newcastle. Unfortunately, I predict that they’re going to fuck it up and turn it into flats like they did with The Hacienda.”

This impassioned rant from Hawley just underpins they cultural value and importance of venues such as The Leadmill.

As the government continues to hold committees and hearings, venues up-and-down the country continue to close at an alarming rate. As Hawley and many others argue, until true legislation is brought in, this will not change.

In other news relating to Hawley, he will release an anniversary edition of his revered third solo album ‘Coles Corner‘ on July 4. You can pre-order it here, and also head here to find tickets to his upcoming tour where he will play the album in full.

The Leadmill – which has hosted huge acts including Oasis, Def Leppard and Arctic Monkeys since its inception in 1980 – has been battling against a new landlord, the Electric Group, since 2022.

Electric Group – who also own London’s Electric Brixton, Bristol’s SWX and Newcastle’s NX – served an eviction notice to their tenants in March 2022 as they look to rebrand it to Electric Sheffield.

It has now been revealed that the eviction appeal brought forward by the Leadmill team has been rejected and the closure of the venue is imminent.

The initial announcement caused a passionate response from many high-profile figures including Pulp’s Jarvis Cocker and Arctic Monkeys, with Cocker simply stating: “This had better be an April Fool’s joke.”

The Leadmill team have taken to Instagram to share a statement, hitting out at the legal ruling and revealing that they are “truly devastated by this outcome.”

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Talking to their 46.5k followers, The Leadmill said: “We’ve fought tirelessly to protect this independent venue which has supported countless artists, musicians and creatives for over four decades… Today’s decision feels like a betrayal of the cultural fabric of our city.”

They also warned all business tenants throughout the country that they could be next, saying: “The judgement in the High Court and in the Court of Appeal confirms that tenants have no rights whatsoever, that if a landlord wants to profit from evicting the tenant and copying the tenant’s business, it can do so.”

Despite this heartbreaking news, a new location for the Leadmill could be a “possibility”, altough potentially not in Sheffield. Speaking last December, the company’s director Phil Mills said: “If we found a suitable premises in Sheffield we would effectively be competing against ourselves because The Leadmill’s name and legacy is indivisible in our customers’ minds”.

Electric Group have argued that the venue is in need of renovation and investment, leading to this legal outcome. Commenting on the initial ruling, the company told NME: “The successful legal outcome paves the way for a bright future for this venue, ensuring it will receive the substantial investment it needs to thrive. 

“It will continue to be a cornerstone of the live music scene in Sheffield, supporting artists, fans and community projects for the next 100 years.”

This ruling will come as a blow to independent venues up-and-down the country after a Government committee explored the state of UK grassroots music just this week.

The committee heard from industry leaders and musicians, who urged the Government to act with more urgency if they truly wish to save independent venues in the country.

Music Venue Trust CEO Mark Davyd encouraged the Government to implement a compulsory £1 ticket levy on arena level and above concerts – with the intention to put this money back into the industry to support the grassroots scene.

Despite these calls, The Leadmill’s closure is a sign that the problem is not being effectively addressed – with independent venues across the country holding their breath, hoping they’re not next.

The Mayor of London has collaborated with Music Venue Trust, Featured Artists Coalition, Outernet, the Metro and Universal Music in an effort to shed a light on the music venues and artists from the city.

The City Hall released numbers to highlight the cultural relevance and importance of independent venues within London. There are currently 179 grassroots venues in the capital which welcomed a total of 4.2 million visitors in 2024 alone, with an incredible 328,000 artists performing.

Not only are they important culturally, but also economically, with these businesses employing close to 7,000 people and contributing £313 million to the economy.

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This campaign is another step in the right direction as the desire to save grassroots venues continues to grow throughout the UK. Groups such as Music Venue Trust and Featured Artists Coalition have been working endlessly to promote the problems facing independent music spaces up and down the country.

Although there is still lots of work to be done, the message is seemingly beginning to get across to the British population. In a recent survey conducted by ‘Music Fans’ Voice’, an overwhelming 94% of respondents agreed that legislation must be bought in to give music venues and nightclubs some form of protected status.

The pendulum continues to swing in favour of independent venues, with this new London-based campaign being a further example of acknowledgement that change is needed. However, many still argue that the words are not being transferred into actions.

Independent MP Jeremy Corbyn recently called out the government for not implementing a recommended £1 ticket levy on large venues, saying: “Almost a year ago, the parliamentary DCMS committee vindicated this approach… which was subsequently acknowledged by the government as a viable option.

“But a year on, we continue to lose grassroots music venues at a truly alarming rate.” Corbyn said as he launched a new campaign, ‘A Summer To Save Live Music’. Check out mxdwn coverage on the series of gigs which aim to raise awareness for these struggling venues.

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The reimagined tube map was published in the Metro newspaper today (May 13) and will be displayed on screens at Outernet London on Denmark Street for the next month.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, pointed out the importance of the grassroots scene in London, whilst also stating just how crucial the survival of it is, saying: “From providing opportunites for talented aspiring artists to develop their trade, to giving Londoners a great night out, our venues are an essential part of our life at night and provide a huge boost to our economy.

“This special edition Tube map is a great way to highlight what a huge impact the scene has on our capital, as we continue to do all we can to support venues and build a more prosperous London for everyone.”

Although the sentiment will be appreciated, independent venues up-and-down the country will be hoping to see true legislation and change bought in sooner rather than later. 

It was reported in 2024 how 10 nightclubs were closing every week on average, something that can only be prevented by legislation and protection.