Glasgow Council Approves Ticket Surcharge for Major Music Events

Glasgow city councillors have endorsed a proposal to implement a new £1 charge on tickets for major concerts held within the city. Funds generated from this levy are intended to aid smaller music establishments. This charge would be imposed on tickets for events at the OVO Hydro, a venue with a 14,300 capacity known for regularly featuring prominent performers, and could generate hundreds of thousands of pounds annually. During a full council meeting, a motion received approval with backing from multiple political parties. The council will now investigate the specifics of its implementation. The Scottish Greens, who spearheaded this motion, indicated that future performances and events featuring artists such as Kylie Minogue, Sam Fender, Olly Murs, comedian Peter Kay, along with Strictly Come Dancing and WWE, could independently generate £160,000. Advocacy groups, including the Music Venue Trust, have advocated for smaller venues throughout the UK to receive a portion of the revenue from large arena and stadium concerts. Several artists, including Coldplay, Enter Shikari, and Sam Fender, have already implemented their own levies on their tours to assist the grassroots music sector, following the closure of numerous venues last year. Green councillor Christy Mearns, who presented the motion, expressed her satisfaction that the initiative garnered support from across the political spectrum. She stated: “This could help to raise much-needed revenue for Glasgow’s grassroots venues which are under threat, yet which are absolutely vital to our city’s musical success. “Grassroots venues support new artists to hone their craft, develop followings and nurture local subcultures.”Without them it’s very possible we wouldn’t have many of the big names who started out in exactly these spaces.”” A representative for the Scottish Event Campus, which encompasses both the OVO Hydro and SEC Armadillo venues, indicated that they would be receptive to methods of assisting the grassroots sector. They commented: “The live entertainment industry is of vital importance to the UK economy, and we welcome initiatives that seek to support it. “All industry stakeholders are liaising extensively on a proposed levy to provide much-needed support to the grassroots eco system and the most effective way to do this.”” The Music Venue Trust reported that 125 venues throughout the UK ceased hosting live music in 2023, with half of these permanently closing. The trust estimates that the overall count of such venues decreased by 13%, and approximately one-third are operating unprofitably, with rising rental expenses identified as a significant challenge. In May, the cross-party Culture, Media and Sport committee in Westminster endorsed the concept of such a levy. Subsequently, the UK government has expressed support for an industry-driven voluntary levy, scheduled to commence in 2025. Creative Industries Minister Sir Chris Bryant has stated his desire to observe “tangible progress” from the industry during the first quarter of the upcoming year.