Plans to save UK’s most iconic grassroots music venues from closure revealed

Music Venue Properties has launched the ‘Our Own Venues’ project aimed at community ownership to prevent the closure of seven grassroots music venues, including Esquires in Bedford and The Joiners in Southampton. This initiative comes as many venues struggle amid competition from developers, exacerbated by the Covid pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis, with a reported decline in London’s grassroots venues. The project seeks to secure sustainable leases and maintenance support, ensuring these venues remain vital cultural hubs for future generations.

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