It’s the moment we all hoped wouldn’t arrive: lockdown 2.0 is almost here.
It’s a bleak time for all of us, with the nation’s music venues among those hit by the new wave of restrictions.
Galleries, museums, cinemas and theatres will all have to lock their doors for the next few weeks as well, as the cultural scene goes into hibernation.
Here, we outline what it means for music venues specifically — and when they could possibly be allowed to start hosting gigs again.
What has the Government said?
From Thursday November 5, a new lockdown will be imposed, with many similarities to the first one back in March. We’ll have to stay home as much as possible, and will only be allowed out for essential trips — childcare, medical treatment, food shopping and the like.
Setting out the new guidelines on October 31, the Government confirmed that “entertainment venues” such as “concert halls” would be among the premises having to shut during the lockdown.
When could music venues reopen?
The lockdown is set to run until Wednesday December 2, although there are concerns that things could stretch on beyond that date. Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said on November 1 that the lockdown could be extended if the rate of infection hasn’t dropped sufficiently.
Once lockdown has lifted, though, it seems as if music venues will be allowed to reopen. The Government has indicated that England will return to its tiered system of local lockdowns. As it stands, live music venues are allowed to operate under all three tiers — the only thing that changes from tier to tier is whether households are allowed to mix inside the venues.
Of course, this is still all subject to change so, as for pretty much all of the pandemic, music venues will be left in uncertainty until further announcements are made.
For nightclubs, the picture is far murkier. They haven’t been allowed to open at any point at all during the pandemic, and there is no indication that they will be able to once this current lockdown recedes.
What has been done to support music venues?
The Government’s Culture Recovery Fund, a £1.57bn aid package to support cultural organisations during the pandemic, has had a largely positive effect on the nation’s music venues.
More than £41m was given out to gig venues in England, which represented support for almost 90 per cent of grassroots operations, according to Music Venue Trust.
This does of course mean that some slipped through the net, and little information has been given on what support might be offered to such venues. If you’re concerned about your favourite venue, check their social media pages to see whether they’ve set up a crowdfunding campaign, or have launched any other schemes to help them survive.
