The singer acknowledged that fans were reimbursed by Ticketmaster and given a voucher by the company. But she went on to further offer those 65 affected fans free tickets to any future Raye show, as well as a complimentary signed vinyl.

The entire post of Raye’s apology is below.

pic.twitter.com/3kB1eBAMHw

— RAYE (@raye) February 17, 2026

Fans have come out in vocal support of this gesture.

A post on X from a fan calls this an example of Raye being a ‘genuinely kind human’ and how admirable it was for the singer to post about situation publicly. Another fan simply says, ‘what a gesture.’

This gesture to the affected fans is indicative of the rich sense of community the singer fosters within her fanbase, something which was felt by her in 2021 prior to the artist parting ways with her record label, Polydor.

Raye was signed to Polydor in 2014 at just 17 years old. There for six years, she released a series of singles, features, and EPs. But in June 2021, she took to X, formerly Twitter, to say the label had been withholding her debut album. She claimed that the release of her debut was now contingent on the success of her single, ‘Call on Me’ and opened up to fans on how the pressure of this negatively affected her. This show of vulnerability pulled fans closer to her. She said in one of her final posts that June evening, her fans had ‘made [her] feel heard.’ Raye stepped away from the spotlight after this, taking a brief hiatus. Almost exactly a year later, in June 2022, she released her first single as an independent artist, ‘Hard Out Here.’

Fast-forward to 2025 and Raye has been launched to a global level of notoriety after the success of her independently released 2022 debut album, ‘My 21^st Century Blues’ and its viral third single, ‘Escapism.’ Throughout it all, she has retained the bravery and honesty which fans admire from her. In response to the incident at her Paris show this Sunday, one fan says, ‘the fact that an independent artist is apologizing and literally paying for [T]icketmaster’s mistakes out of her own pocket before that f**ka** company even says anything.. raye you are so special to all of us.’

Raye continues her tour at the Co-op Live Arena in Manchester tonight. Full UK/IE dates for This May Contain New Music Tour can be found below.

Raye’s This May Contain New Music UK/IE Tour Dates

18/2 – Co-op Live – Manchester, UK

20/2 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow, UK

21/2 — OVO Hydro – Glasgow, UK

23/2 — bp pulse LIVE — Birmingham, UK

24/2 — bp pulse LIVE — Birmingham, UK

26/2 — The O2 — London, UK

27/2 — The O2 — London, UK

1/3 — The O2 — London, UK

2/3 — The O2 — London, UK

4/3 — 3Arena — Dublin, Ireland

5/3 — 3Arena — Dublin, Ireland

19/5 — The O2 — London, UK

20/5 — The O2 — London, UK

1/8 — Pride on the Park — Brighton, UK

29/8 — Reading Festival, Richfield Avenue — Reading, UK

30/8 — Leeds Festival, Bramham Park — Leeds, UK

Ticketmaster has recently announced a serious commitment to improve the transparency of its website ticket sales in the wake of criticism surrounding the Oasis reunion tour sales earlier this month. The CMA (Competition and Markets Authority) confirmed on Thursday, 25 September, that it had obtained legally binding undertakings from the ticketing giant, following a flurry of fan frustrations after many website users remarked on the inflated costs, unforeseen price jumps, and inefficient online queuing.

The commitments come as a direct reaction to the unprecedented demand for the Oasis 2025 reunion tour, which launched its  sales in early September. When attempting to secure tickets for the event, fans reported that within minutes, the tickets they had added to their online baskets had vanished, only to reappear available but at a significantly higher price, in accordance with Ticketmaster’s “dynamic pricing” model. After many fans missed out on buying their tickets, social media quickly filled with complaints of exploitation and scalping by another name, with the CMA pressed to intervene.

In the CMA’s released announcement, they stated that Ticketmaster has now come to an agreement that requires the site to clearly display the number of tickets available at each different price tier. In addition, they will have to notify buyers when dynamic pricing is being enabled, and also set stricter caps on how much prices can rise above the original face value. The ticketing site has also agreed to provide a clearer breakdown of extra fees, like booking fees and additional charges, an issue that has also been a consistent point of complaint for consumers.

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A post shared by Ticketmaster (@ticketmaster)

More than 900,000 tickets were bought via Ticketmaster when the tour was announced last year, with millions of people missing out. This has led to an unprecedented amount of scams taking place.

The bank has announced that on average, over 5,000 people lost £436 on ticket scams. With one specific case seeing a fan lose £1,700 whilst trying to get a ticket for the anticipated tour.

Lloyds added that Oasis fans accounted for more than half of all reported ticket scams that have taken place so far this year.

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A post shared by Sky News (@skynews)

Edinburgh, Warrington and Manchester were named as the places with the highest number of victims, with the top 10 locations making up a quarter of the cases, with people aged between 35 and 44 being the most likely to fall victim.

Liz Zeigler, the Fraud Prevention Director at Lloyds, said: “The Oasis tour is the largest target for ticket scammers, with millions of pounds of fans’ money stolen before the gigs even kick off.

“The fact that so many cases start with fake listings on social media, often in violation of the platforms’ own rules, underscores the importance of these companies taking stronger action to tackle ticket scams.

“It’s vital that customers feel empowered to shop safely online. Buying directly from reputable, authorised retailers is the only way to guarantee you’re paying for a genuine ticket.”

The Oasis tour began to make negative headlines almost instantly due to fans having to contend with high queues and the hugely inflated prices due to ‘dynamic’ pricing. This led to investigations by both the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and the European Commission.

Hayley Fletcher, interim Senior Director of Consumer Protection at the CMA, said in a statement: “Fans reported problems when buying Oasis tickets from Ticketmaster and we decided those concerns warranted investigation.

“We’re concerned that Oasis fans didn’t get the information they needed or may have been misled into buying tickets they thought were better than they were.”

Oasis and Ticketmaster attempted to tackle the issues of scammers when they announced that they planned to cancel more than 50,000 tickets that were sold via non-endorsed secondary ticket sites. They began this process in February, but many fans have claimed that they have been wrongfully targeted by the scheme.

The controversies surrounding the reunion have arguably overshadowed the biggest UK tour announcement in years, with everyone from the European Commission to the UK Government having a say on the matter, with the latter launching a consultation at the start of the year into the ticket re-sale market.

The aim of the consultation is to “better protect fans, improve access to live events and support the growth of the UK’s world leading live events sector.”

Oasis have been dominating the music news since they got the band back together, being the most google searched UK artist in 2024.

In other news, the line-up for their touring band was recently revealed as their former drummer shared a heartfelt message of support to his former bandmates ahead of the record breaking tour. Check it out here.

A spokesperson for Ticketmaster has addressed the issue, saying: “Anyone who has been contacted and believes a refund was made in error has been sent a form to fill in for the tour’s promoters to review.” However, fans going through the form to appeal their refund and get their tickets back encountered issues with error messages, leaving them to contact customer support again.

If 2025 could actually get any worse – now I don’t even have this to look forward to any more
Denying legit fans their tickets??

@oasis @liamgallagher @NoelGallagher @BBCBreaking @NME @Ticketmaster @ticketmasteuk @TMFanSupport pic.twitter.com/UROctkNZ4S

— Jen (@lostinmusic72) February 7, 2025

X user, ‘@lostinmusic72’, posted a screenshot of the email from Ticketmaster, informing them of the decision to refund the ticket. The ticketing platform claimed that the refund had been requested by the band’s tour promoter, and that they had violated the conditions under which the tickets were purchased. The same X user had gone through the presale process, which required customers to correctly answer a question about the first Oasis drummer and should have further proven that they were not a bot.  

Not sure what DM has achieved though… I’d already filled a form in. For someone to review what I already know, which is that I’m a human who brought two tickets. No proper explanation of the process, no ability to speak to a human (Ironic really!) — Matthew Ewers (@MatthewEwers) February 7, 2025

The 2025 tour is being promoted by SJM concerts and Live Nation, with the latter also being the owner of Ticketmaster. Prices for the shows started at around £150, but due to dynamic pricing, some fans were being charged upwards of £350 for the same tickets. The public backlash has led to calls for further transparency in ticket pricing, with the original price and dynamic price being displayed side by side, as well as the government planning a consultation for autumn.   

Oasis issued a statement on the issue, saying: “”When unprecedented ticket demand is combined with technology that cannot cope with that demand, it becomes less effective and can lead to an unacceptable experience for fans.” The band would later confirm that the same pricing model wouldn’t be applied to the North American leg of the tour, as well as distancing themselves from the decision. “It needs to be made clear that Oasis leave decisions on ticketing and pricing entirely to their promoters and management.”  The band also changed the ticketing policy for their subsequently announced Wembley shows, opting for a staggered approach instead.

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A post shared by Oasis (@oasis)

Despite the backlash and Ticketmaster’s central role, some online defend the platform, arguing that it only provides the feature as an option rather than enforcing it. A report by The Sun found that dynamic pricing adjusts costs based on demand, creating an uncertainty in the customer. Sir Chris Bryant, Minister for Creative Industries, said that uncertainty pressures fans into panic-buying, fearful of missing out.  

The panic spread across to Reddit too, with the subreddit r/Oasis being flooded with anxious fans checking their emails, hoping not to receive an email with a refund confirmation. The subreddit also saw criticism aimed at Ticketmaster for acting so late, suggesting that anybody using bots would have bought the tickets and sold them on by now, with real fans being the ones missing out.

Comment byu/secret-lyrics from discussion inoasis

Oasis, their management, or their promoters have yet to comment on the issue. Fans who until this week thought they would be attending this once-in-a-lifetime experience, were falsely accused of being ‘bots’ and forced to request a reissue of their ticket through an error-prone online form. With a summer of shows and festivals around the corner, the government’s autumn consultation may not come soon enough.

Under this scheme, fans have the opportunity to donate while purchasing tickets, with Ticketmaster matching each pound contributed. Over the past two years, the initiative has raised £150,000, providing crucial support to the MVT’s Pipeline Investment Fund. Established in 2022, the fund aids UK-based GMVs, artists, and promoters, with over £500,000 already allocated to venue infrastructure improvements.

We recently launched our new major funding initiative, The Pipeline Investment Fund, which provides grants of up to £5,000 for UK Grassroots Music Venues. pic.twitter.com/Ufl7D8aP2d

— Music Venue Trust (@musicvenuetrust) December 6, 2022

“We have long been supporters of MVT’s work and are proud to have raised £60K in 2024 through our annual upsell,” said Andrew Parsons, MD of Ticketmaster UK. “This year, we’ve teamed up with spaces like Epic Studios and Hackney Church, and we look forward to supporting grassroots venues for years to come.”  

MVT CEO Mark Davyd expressed gratitude, noting that initiatives like these are essential at a time when many GMVs are “struggling badly just to keep the lights on.” However, while donations are impactful, they highlight the broader funding challenges grassroots venues face—challenges the UK government’s voluntary ticket levy aims to address.

 

 

 

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A post shared by Music Venue Trust (@musicvenuetrust)

Set to begin its trial year in 2025, the levy proposes diverting a small percentage of ticket sales from major events to grassroots venues. If implemented as a mandatory £1 fee per ticket, it could generate an estimated £4 million annually, based on figures published by Ticketmaster in 2023. Artists like Coldplay and Sam Fender have already pledged support, and organisations like MVT are optimistic about the initiative’s potential.

Yet, there are concerns. The voluntary nature of the levy leaves room for key players, such as venue operators and promoters, to opt out, potentially limiting its impact. With 125 grassroots venues closing in 2023, urgent action is needed to ensure venues survive long enough to benefit from these funds, something that wasn’t addressed in the UK’s autumn budget. A ministerial roundtable that took place last week aimed to address logistical barriers and create an actionable roadmap.

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A post shared by Music Venue Trust (@musicvenuetrust)

Based on these figures, with Ticketmaster matching the donations, only 30,000 transactions voluntarily donated £1. While this is an amount that shouldn’t be baulked at, it is yet to be seen how much of a difference a government-backed levy will really make. Glasgow City Council recently backed the proposed levy in a move which could generate £160,000 from the city’s arena shows. 

Ticketmaster’s donation also comes as the company faces scrutiny for its role in controversial ticketing practices like dynamic pricing. The Oasis reunion tour earlier this year saw fans paying up to £400 for tickets with a face value of less than £150. This backlash has fueled support for Rupa Huq’s proposed Sale of Tickets Bill, which seeks to increase transparency and regulate pricing.

It’s official: my Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill aka the StopOasisStyleTicketRipOffs bill is listed for debate in @HouseofCommons today Wish me luck! pic.twitter.com/8l0A7fxMCp — Rupa Huq MP (@RupaHuq) December 6, 2024

Despite this, Ticketmaster’s partnership with MVT highlights the platform’s potential to positively impact the live music industry. As debates around funding and fairness continue, initiatives like the Pipeline Investment Fund and proposed ticket levy represent a collaborative path forward to protect the UK’s grassroots music scene—the foundation of its £7.6 billion music industry.

The “surge pricing” scheme, established in 2022, increases ticket prices based on demand. Ticketmaster have stated on their website previously that tickets are “market-priced” and “may increase or decrease at any time, based on demand. This is similar to how airline tickets and hotel rooms are sold.”

Robbie told The Face magazine that he’s “never sat in a ‘How much are we pricing the tickets?’ meeting. And I don’t believe that Oasis did either.” He said he doesn’t “believe that Oasis knew”, admitting that he only knows about dynamic pricing now because of the bands recent ticket drama. He also commented that boosted prices for his tour in 2006 led to a “scalper guy that bought a 1.5 million mansion” off reselling his tickets.

Williams has also expressed his excitement for the Britpop legends reunion, saying on an uncredited podcast that “Oasis getting back together is going to be a healing moment for our country”, and that “Liam Gallagher reading his phone on the toilet would be more charismatic and intriguing than 99.9 per cent of the world’s population at their most enigmatic.”

The “Angels” singer and Mancunian rockers have had a spotty relationship, though it seems to have calmed in the past few years. After a brief friendship in the 90’s, they began feuding as Noel branded Williams as “the fat dancer from Take That” at the 2000 Brit Awards. Williams then offered out his brother in a brawl, asking the crowd “Anybody like to see me fight Liam?” suggesting they each put a hundred grand down to settle it in the ring.

They continued trading barbs in the media, and Robbie sought revenge in 2003 by selling out Knebworth park three nights in a row – a one-up of Oasis and their two-night sellout in 1996. After all the bad blood between them, Williams confided to Zane Lowe in a 2022 interview that “They were gigantic bullies, to the whole industry, everybody in it” while conceding that he’s still a tremendous admirer of Oasis.

Politicians have been debating the pricing issue in parliament, with a Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill being put forward but since delayed in the House of Commons. While not looking to outlaw dynamic pricing, it’s hoped that this could improve transparency on ticket costs.

Labour MP Rupa Huq said “As a lifelong music fan, I, like many of the nation, was scandalised to see the recent situation where people were queuing up for the best part of a day to get Oasis tickets.

‘And the pressure is immense when you’re refreshing for six hours to find yourself then finally at the top of the queue, you feel you have to go for it, but by then the ticket is five times the price of what you thought it was when advertised.”

The hype is alive for the Oasis revival, with all their UK and Ireland dates selling out in just ten hours. Interest in their comeback was so great that the question “how to get Oasis tickets” was the second most asked “how to” question in Britain this year, behind “how to vote in the UK”. Robbie, as eccentric as ever, is gearing up for the release of his biopic Better Man, covering his career and life story with a CGI monkey version of himself. The film is out in UK cinemas on December 26th.

Alas we did not get to debate my ticketing bill today as I was in a queue and only 1st bill of 4 listed got debated in the five hours @HouseofCommons sat but I have nominated 17th January for the re-match. Here’s what went on today in Parliament https://t.co/bLP1HC8FYN

— Rupa Huq MP (@RupaHuq) December 6, 2024

The bill seeks to tackle controversial ticketing practices, including dynamic pricing, which allows ticket prices to surge based on demand. This issue gained prominence following the sale of Oasis reunion tour tickets earlier this year, where some fans paid upwards of £400 for tickets with a face value of less than £150. Ticketmaster’s use of dynamic pricing during the sale sparked significant backlash, with critics accusing the platform of exploiting fans, and has led to some negativity around the tour.

In other words, “We accept many UK & Irish fans were overcharged but we’re not sorry enough to refund the difference between those dynamically priced tickets and the stated price at the time of sale”. Or, “We literally value UK and Irish fans differently to our US fans”. — Adam Frith (@MrAdamFrith) September 30, 2024

The proposed law would require ticket sellers to provide clear pricing and availability information to consumers waiting in online queues. It would also mandate that the final sale price be printed on tickets. Failure to comply could result in fines under the proposed legislation, though the specifics will be altered and narrowed as it makes it way through the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Speaking to the AP, Huq described the bill as a “consumer protection measure” designed to prevent fans from facing hidden charges or inflated costs. Addressing criticism from some Conservative MPs, she argued that the bill does not represent “state interference” but instead will stop any “nasty surprises”. 

It’s official: my Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill aka the StopOasisStyleTicketRipOffs bill
is listed for debate in @HouseofCommons today

Wish me luck! pic.twitter.com/8l0A7fxMCp

— Rupa Huq MP (@RupaHuq) December 6, 2024

The bill passed its first reading in the House of Commons on October 16. However, the delay in its second reading has led to accusations of political stalling. The European Union (Withdrawal Arrangements) Bill, which was debated for nearly five hours on Friday, occupied the entire session, leaving no time for the Sale of Tickets Bill to be discussed.   

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy reacted positively to the proposed bill, and pointed to an ongoing government consultation on ticketing practices. She stated that the government is committed to putting fans “at the heart of ticketing” and will consider reforms based on the consultation’s findings. She also made a point of saying that it is a matter of when, not if.

My Sale of Tickets (Sporting and Cultural Events) Bill – Parliamentary Bills to stop Summer Oasis style ripoffs unveiled today – watch this space Great have a government who “gets it” including Britney-loving culture secretary @lisanandy pic.twitter.com/8kDPrA15sW — Rupa Huq MP (@RupaHuq) December 4, 2024

The Oasis ticketing scandal is just one example of why the bill’s supporters say reform is needed. It has been used since 2022, and acts like Harry Styles have used the model. Bruce Springsteen’s 2023 tour also saw controversy, with dynamic pricing leading to tickets being sold for as much as $4,000. Artists like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and The Cure have since pledged not to use the pricing model.

This is not just a UK issue. Dutch MEP Lara Wolters, who supports stricter regulation of ticket pricing, has called for similar reforms across Europe. She argues that existing practices unfairly benefit platforms like Ticketmaster at the expense of fans. 

The bill, if passed, would build upon existing measures under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. These include requirements for secondary sellers to disclose seat locations, face values, and restrictions on resale tickets. The new legislation aims to go further by adding greater transparency and accountability in ticket sales.

Good luck Rupa! X

— Carl Loben (@CarlLoben) December 6, 2024

Support for the bill extends beyond Westminster. Editor of DJ Mag, Carl Loben, is among those backing stricter regulation of ticket pricing, tweeting Huq on the morning of the hearing with encouragement.

The delay in Parliament will frustrate some, including those who had to choose between paying inflated prices, or missing out altogether. For now, all eyes are on January 17, when the bill is expected to return to the Commons.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy confirmed that the practice known as dynamic pricing will be part of the consultation, after dynamic pricing on Ticketmaster saw prices increase in response to high demand for Oasis Live ’25. Dynamic pricing, which is legal in the UK, involves businesses either lowering or raising prices based on factors such as real-time website traffic, web users’ browsing history, and fluctuating supply. This is not to be confused with surge pricing, which involves raising prices on a stable supply of goods based on real-time demand, which is also permitted by law.

“After the incredible news of Oasis’ return, it’s depressing to see vastly inflated prices excluding ordinary fans from having a chance of enjoying their favourite band live,” Nandy said, adding: “We will include issues around the transparency and use of dynamic pricing, including the technology around queuing systems which incentivise it, in our forthcoming consultation on consumer protections for ticket resales. Working with artists, industry, and fans, we can create a fairer system that ends the scourge of touts, rip-off resales, and ensures tickets at fair prices.”

Whoever has given the green light to Ticketmaster to deploy these dynamic prices after the band has came out on their own social media channels to urge fans not to buy from resale sites is an awful look on their brand. Biggest tour in decades and has been handled awfully…

— Mainly Oasis (@mainlyoasis) September 1, 2024

Nandy’s comments come after Lucy Powell, Leader of the House of Commons and Labour MP, said she herself had paid double the original price for tickets to the sought-after Oasis reunion shows. She told BBC Radio 5 Live that she did not “particularly like” surge pricing but acknowledged that “it is the market and how it operates.”All 17 of the announced Oasis reunion shows had been sold out by Saturday evening, the band announced. The day before this, tickets had begun appearing on resale sites like Viagogo and StubHub for up to £6,000. Oasis’ official account then warned fans not to resell tickets at higher prices on sites not linked to their promoter, and said those tickets would be “cancelled”. It is  still unclear which bodies were responsible for setting the prices, as a disclaimer on the Ticketmaster website says this power lies with “promoters”. However, none of Oasis’ official promotion companies have spoken publicly on the saga.

Please note, Oasis Live ‘25 tickets can only be resold at face value via @TicketmasterUK and @Twickets!
Tickets appearing on other secondary ticketing sites are either counterfeit or will be cancelled by the promoters.

— Oasis (@oasis) August 31, 2024

Fans also railed against Ticketmaster for making them wait in queues for several hours to access the site, as well as allowing fans only limited time windows to decide whether to purchase tickets once higher-than-expected prices were revealed. Many fans also complained of being wrongly identified as bots and kicked out of ticket queues.

Davyd was speaking amongst a panel of representatives from Manchester’s AO Arena, Co-Op Live, MIF/Factory International and Rachael Flaszczak, the managing director of The Snug, a Manchester venue that was saved by the Music Venue Trust’s new ownership scheme. Amongst the panel, Davyd said: “It’s completely unacceptable that our music industry is letting music collapse underneath it while it’s making the maximum amount of money it’s ever made in the history of music. That is ridiculous. It’s totally unacceptable to me. It’s unacceptable to our communities.”

Speaking to Gary Rosen, a representative from Co-Op Live, a soon to be opened music venue in Manchester that will be the largest in the country, Davyd spoke about the massive differences it would make to grassroots venues if large-scale arenas contributed a small percentage of tickets sales to grassroots venues, as he said: “If [Co-op Live] were to give the £2.70 service fees [they now have] on some of the 23,000 tickets they’re likely to sell, it could raise £62,700 on just one night. If you’re planning to do 120 shows a year, that raises £7.4million. Just two shows could buy [venues like] The Snug out of your facility fee alone.”

Rachael Flaszczak, managing director for The Snug, then spoke of the massive help given from the Music Venue Trust because of the #OwnOurVenues initiative, which aims to secure long-term futures of small venues by creating secure ownership. Flaszczak said: “The Snug was in danger of closing down forever. We went to Music Venues Trust and we were accepted. MVT now own the building which means that we’re safe forever. We’ve got a nice long cultural lease. It will be business as usual, we’ll carry on what we’re doing, booking new bands and giving that platform for grassroots music to thrive.”

Music Venue Properties announce first venue purchase with shares bought by the live music community! @SnugAtherton has become the first acquisition under #OwnOurVenues scheme!

Official Launch Event held today at The Snug to Celebrate new ownership +unveil a commemorative plaque! pic.twitter.com/HmDamLlrRl

— Music Venue Trust (@musicvenuetrust) October 4, 2023

Gemma Vaughan from the AO Arena in Manchester mentioned how not enough has been done by large-scale arenas to ensure the financial safety of grassroots venues. She said: “I don’t think that large scale arenas have done enough to support grassroots venues. I think that we have probably sat quite arrogantly on the periphery and looked at our talent pipeline and the fact that we have international touring productions wheeling and wheeling out.” She then later said: “We have to support grassroots venues and musicians to help to feed our talent pipeline. We need to make sure that that kind of music economy continues to kind of recycle itself. We are planning to do a lot. Have we done enough so far? Definitely not.”

Things seem to be pointing in the right direction for change towards helping grassroots venues as AO Arena are looking to replicate the new system Ticketmaster have introduced, in which customers can opt in to donate to grassroots venues. Vaughan said: “One thing that we’re currently discussing is the additional opt-in to donate £1.50 when transacting, and we’ll look to match that. We definitely are committed to the opt-in for the audience member. We are just going through a bit of a process at the moment in how we make that work in the UK business.”

The Piece Hall have become the first major venue in the UK to offer the option to donate and directly support independent local venues at the point of purchase. This is after the Piece Hall signed a landmark agreement with the Music Venue Trust as well as with promoters Cuffe and Taylor, allowing the venue to give customers the option to donate to the MVT via Ticketmaster.

Groundbreaking deal to support Yorkshire’s independent music venues!

The funding agreement with @musicvenuetrust means that for all 2024 shows at The Piece Hall, fans can add a donation to support grassroots music venues in Calderdale.

Read more ➡️ https://t.co/4oolZyyeTh pic.twitter.com/5f2reLo2Xb

— The Piece Hall (@ThePieceHall) October 3, 2023

Music Venue Trust CEO, Mark Davyd spoke of the groundbreaking agreement via a press release, as he said: “This has been an incredibly challenging year for grassroots music venues, with more than 100 venues forced to close their doors to live music and many more at risk. It is absolutely vital that everyone in the music industry recognises the incredible strain the grassroots sector is under, and so it’s great to see The Piece Hall leading the way with a plan that will really make a genuine difference to other venues in the local area. We are extremely grateful to The Piece Hall and Cuffe and Taylor for coming together to support the whole ecosystem around them – we hope it inspires others to follow.”

Alongside this, earlier this year the Music Venue Trust had also announced a public ownership scheme under the name #SaveOurVenues, in which they have their first acquisition: The Snug in Manchester. The initiative was first announced in May after venues like Nambucca in North London and Sheffield’s Leadmill was under threat of closing, in which Nambucca unfortunately did. The scheme is built to tackle ownership issues and secure long-term futures for grass-roots venues.

These innovations are in response to the Music Venue Trust’s warnings this year that many small music venues in the country were at a knife-edge, as the trust called out for other big players in the music industry to help. Earlier in the year, MVT CEO Mark Davyd said about this: “This is the best year for live music in the UK in terms of gross receipts that there’s ever going to be. It’s not possible to make an argument that this can be accompanied by 100 venues closing down, cutting down access to live music for communities and cutting off the talent pipeline for artists that’ll never get to play.”